Scarlet Fox
by KnightMysterio
Summary: In the aftermath of Sly's amnesia being revealed as fake, a confrontation with insane worshippers of Clockwerk leads to tragedy for the Cooper Gang... But is the tragedy real? Or is it all part of another plan, one years in the making?
1. The Death of Carmelita Montoya Fox

_**Scarlet Fox**_

_**A Sly Cooper fanfiction by Jonathan 'KnightMysterio' Spires**_

_**All characters not original copyrighted to their original owners and used for non-profit amusement purposes. All characters that ARE original are copyrighted to me, so first request permission to use them in your own media if you wish to do so. Takes place a year and a half after the end of Sly 3.**_

* * *

_Paris, France…_

* * *

A lone figure sat on the rooftops of Paris, overlooking Interpol headquarters. His dark-gray fur and blue shirt and hat helped him to blend in with the night sky, the only thing standing out being the yellow lining on his gloves and the red pouch wrapped around his leg. A wooden cane with a gold hook in the shape of a stylized C lay beside him. He stared longingly into the building, his brown eyes tinged with sadness as he stared at the fox inside, busily working away at her desk. His black striped tail was curled around him.

A turtle in an armored wheelchair rolled up to him, his eyes hidden by thick glasses. "You gonna be okay, Sly?"

The raccoon sighed. "I guess… I should have known it couldn't last…"

The turtle frowned. "How did it happen? You and Carmelita were together for a little over a year…"

Sly shrugged. "Someone higher-up than Inspector Barkley called us on it, slipped me up with a question that I could only know if I remembered everything. I had to get out, make it look like I was just using Carmelita to get at some Interpol secrets."

The turtle nodded. "How… How's she taking it?"

Sly sighed. "I don't know, Bentley… They've had her on deskwork ever since I was found out a month ago… I don't know how she's doing, or how her job is going… All my usual entryways have been blocked…"

Sly looked up at the turtle. "You didn't have to get back together just for me. I know that you, Penelope and the others all had your own lives after the Caine Island mess…"

Bentley chuckled. "I guess… But honestly, Sly? We all missed you. Even Panda King and Dimitri."

Sly chuckled. "Those two showing up again surprised me…"

Bentley sighed. "Well… They didn't come without purpose. Dimitri heard about you getting found out and got it in his head that he was going to 'comfort you about de better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all' or something like that."

Sly scowled. "Better to have… Bah. It's a stupid phrase. He should try being in love first before saying junk like that…"

Bentley nodded, thinking of his relationship with Penelope. "At any rate, Panda King came back because he needs a favor."

Sly nodded. "His daughter, right?"

Bentley chuckled. "Yeah. She ran off. Finally got tired of her dad chasing off every guy that came to call. She took his spare cannon and a lot of materials for fireworks, as well as some of his Flame Fu scrolls before disappearing."

Sly rolled his eyes and sighed. "We better go help look for her, then…" he said, standing up and picking up his cane, staring sadly at Carmelita's window, "I'm sorry, Carmelita… I just wanted to be with you… I never wanted to hurt you like this…"

Bentley and Sly headed down into the safehouse. As they did, they missed Carmelita's boss heading into her office and talking with her for a bit, the two of them heading out of the building for a case…

Sly and Bentley took the elevator down to the floor the gang was staying on, chatting idly. Sly was trying to keep his mind off of his mistake with Carmelita, talking about probable capers for the gang now that they were back together.

They missed entirely when Winthrop, Carmelita's assistant, came rushing into Carmelita's office. Due to the noise of the celebration down below, they didn't notice either when Carmelita's car, along with several others, sped off.

When Bentley and Sly arrived in the room the Cooper Gang, they found their teammates staring in shock at a TV screen.

Murray noticed them and waved them over. "You better take a look at this, guys," he said.

On the screen were reports of a group of cultists known as Clockwerk's Children. They had taken hostages and were planning a ritual sacrifice to try and bring back their leader, using recreated parts of his body to act as his soul's host.

Panda King scowled. "Obsessive lunatics…" he muttered.

Bentley frowned, stroking his chin and not looking away from the screen. "You know these crazies?"

Panda King, huge and imposing, nodded. "Indeed. Shortly after the death of Sly's parents, Clockwerk's megalomania had progressed to the point where he had started to believe himself a god. Others who shared this belief gathered around him. They helped build his lair in the volcano. The mere presence of these nihilistic fools is part of the reason Ruby, Muggshot, Raleigh and I left Clockwerk's side to start our own projects."

Sly smirked, idly twirling his cane. "Well well… Nothing like a little stress relief to start the evening right. What say we all head over to that hotel they've commandeered and see how many of them Murray can hit at once with a single Thunder Flop?"

Murray grinned, loving the idea and thumping his fist into his palm. Bentley shook his head. "I don't know, Sly. Something about this feels off, like it's a trap."

Sly rolled his eyes. "If we're careful, we won't even trigger it. When have we not gotten out of bad situations?"

Bentley just quirked his eyebrow.

Sly chuckled. "Okay, okay. But you rescued us all by yourself, remember. I still owe you for that one, buddy."

Bentley smirked. "Well… I guess we can get going. I have my own issues I want to work out with anyone connected to that blasted owl…"

The gang packed up and headed out, taking a back route to get to the hotel, the Chez Paris.

Bentley and Penelope hacked into the hotel's system, stealing data they needed.

Penelope looked over the blueprints of the building and nodded, sending out her remote controlled helicopter to check out potential entrances for traps. As she did, Guru spoke to Murray, a deep frown on his wise face.

"Huh? Something bad's gonna happen?" Murray said, frowning.

Guru nodded, speaking some more.

Murray frowned. "We'll be careful, master, don't worry."

"It's not us I'm worried about," Guru said.

Penelope's scout helicopter returned. She reviewed the footage it took and nodded. "Okay, Sly. We've got a way for you to get in and eventually let us in as well. They've got some kind of high tech rigging on the main doorways, but Bentley's devised a gadget that can allow him to remotely hack them. All you need to do is get in through the vents, set up the rigging, and keep them away from the device until Bentley hacks through," she said.

"Doomed to be typecast as the bait forever, I see," Sly quipped, earning a chuckle from most of the others, "See you all inside," he said. He got out of the van, and clambered up a nearby pipe towards the vent Penelope had specified. .

Bentley called out to him. "Be careful and be quick! We want to go in, rescue the hostages, whomp these losers and swipe what we can from them before the cops get here!"

Sly rolled his eyes. "Yes Mom," he teased, wriggling into the vent. He slid his slender frame through the air vent, eventually coming out in one of upper hallways overlooking the lobby.

"Little straightforward," Sly muttered as he wriggled free of the vent, "Not that many twists and turns… Such bad ventilation in this hotel."

He looked down into the lobby, pulling out his binocucom and zooming in on the cultists there, all armed with automatic weapons and holding terrified hostages in the center. Each cultist was clad in a black robe with Clockwerk's owl-head and gear insignia on the back, their species masked by the hoods. Sly scowled, remembering all the misery that owl had put him through, and angry that people actually worshipped the monstrosity.

Shaking his head, he refocused on his work. He skulked by several armed cultists, ducking behind trash cans and pillars whenever a guard passed by. He eventually made his way close to the back door, spotting the high tech locking mechanism being guarded by a burly guard wielding a sword and machine gun.

"Marvelous," Sly muttered. He hung back for a moment, thinking about what to do, sitting down and crossing his arms thoughtfully. After a moment, he noticed that the lid of the nearby metal trashcan was loose. Smirking, he picked up the can lid and threw it, the arc carrying it above the guard's head.

The lid flew into the darkness of the nearby hallway. The guard blinked, and hesitated for a moment.

Sly smirked. _Egads, a guard with actual brains… _

After a moment more of hesitating the guard went to investigate the sound.

_So much for brains. At least he had it for a minute, _Sly thought. Quickly, he moved over to the electronic lock on the door, adding the splice clip Bentley gave him.

Back in the rather crowded Cooper Van, Bentley nodded as data started flowing into his laptop. "All right," he said, "Hacking through the locking systems…" He began to type, working his way through the various barrier programs set up.

Sly frowned at the clip, a large, obvious device attached to the otherwise subtle lock. He had to keep the guards away from it while Bentley hacked his way in. He quickly dashed out behind a guard and ducked under a table, debating on what to do.

A pair of guards passed by the table, their legs bare underneath their robe, and a wicked grin came to his face. When a guard passed by, he discreetly reached out with his cane and tripped the nearest cultist. The cultist yelped, and glared at his buddy, who just gave him a confused look. The tripped guard shook his head, and resumed his pacing.

Sly bit back a snicker. When the two passed by each other again, he hit the other cultist in the foot.

"OW! What was that for?!" the cultist snapped at his partner.

"I didn't do anything!" the first cultist snapped, "You're the one who tripped me earlier."

"Oh bullshit! You stepped on my foot just now!"

"I did no such thing, you…" the first cultist paused, something dawning on him. When he went silent, Sly felt a chill running through him.

_Egads. They're actually SMART, _he thought worriedly, _This may be a teensy bit harder than originally planned. _

Sly braced himself, ready to move at a moment's notice. Sure enough, a minute later, the two cultists lifted the table up. Sly, quick as a flash, swung his cane, swatting the guns out of their hands.

"Anyone ever tell you the robed look is out?" Sly said, smirking at the two stunned cultists. Before they could recover their wits, Sly knocked them out with a well-placed strike of his cane. He prepared to bolt before he was noticed, but apparently the two guards had signaled their associates. Sly found himself facing dozens of cultists wielding guns, all aimed at him.

The cultist leader came forward, a tall man with vaguely ursine features wearing robes that were adorned with winged armor. "We've been expecting you, Sly Cooper."

"Nice to be wanted," Sly quipped, folding his arms casually and smirking in the cult leader's face.

"Heh," the cult leader chuckled, "Flippant even in the face of death. Indeed, you were a worthy foe for our lord."

Sly sneered. "Your 'lord' was an outright psychopath. A lunatic who's insanity led him to exchange his furhood for steel as cold as the void where his heart would be."

The cult leader slapped Sly. The raccoon just chuckled, wincing a little from the pain in his jaw. "Hit a bit of a nerve, didn't I?"

The cult leader growled. "You will not speak of our lord in so flippant a manner again."

Sly's eyes widened in amusement as he heard a familiar hissing sound. He turned back to the cult leader and grinned widely. "Actually, I think I will. Many times over."

The cult leader gave him a confused look. "What are you babbli…"

He was interrupted when a firework hit in him the back, exploding in a flash of color and sending him flying past Sly, the raccoon easily dodging out of the way. Soon after, Panda King's thundering voice echoed through the hall.

"SERVANTS OF EVIL!" Panda King roared, "YOU SHALL NOT HARM THESE INNOCENTS! FOR THE COOPER GANG HAS COME TO PUT AN END TO YOU!"

Sly looked over to the back door of the lobby, seeing Panda King and Murray leading the charge for the rest of the gang. Almost immediately after Panda King finished speaking, several more fireworks launched from the tube on his back, exploding in a flash of bright colors, blinding the cultists. Sly took advantage of this and dashed over to where the hostages were being held. Quickly taking out the guards with well-placed knocks to the head, he used his cane's hook to cut through the ropes binding them.

"Run," he said simply. The hostages hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to make of the bandit rescuing them, but decided to take advantage of their freedom, thanking him as they ran for the side exits.

Sly looked back to the others. Murray was running up a stairwell, and for a moment Sly thought he was running away. But Sly was grinning widely soon after, as Murray leaped over a railing with a loud cry of "THUNDER FLOP!" From the sound of it, he took out a good number of cultists.

Penelope had gotten behind a desk, using her remote chopper to fire sticky bombs at cultists, gluing them to the floor. She was starting to falter, though, as the cultists were coming closer and closer to her chopper with each shot. Bentley was protecting her, having mined the area around the desk and occasionally tossing his remote mines out at a cultist that got too close.

Guru was controlling one of the cultists, a large, burly hippo, making him run around crazily, trampling his comrades. The confusion it was causing was hilarious to watch. Even Guru seemed amused.

Dimitri was using his taser ring to full effect, the lounge lizard a surprisingly good hand-to-hand combatant. And Panda King was flat out dominating the field, a living volcano. He bellowed in fury with each strike, his frustration at the loss of his daughter, his shame at his past, and his rage at Clockwerk for using him fueling his Flame Fu.

Sly chuckled, preparing to run over to join them, when a powerful hand grabbed him, throwing him up against a wall. Sly winced, pain rippling through his back. He picked himself up as best he could, looking up at the face of his attacker, the cult leader.

The bear growled ferally. "You… The Nemesis… And the Traitor… All here," he snarled, laughing insanely, "This is too good. I will kill you all in one fell swoop!"

Sly sighed and gritted his teeth, gripping his cane tightly and dropping into a fighting stance, knowing he'd be in for a fight.

At which point the front door burst open, a very familiar and very welcome voice bellowing, "EVERYBODY FREEZE!"

The cult leader and Sly whirled, Sly grinning widely as he saw Carmelita, shock pistol at the ready, at the head of a veritable army of Interpol agents. The cultists started firing at the police, an aging bloodhound pointing at the bear.

"There's the leader! Take him out, Constable Fox!" he bellowed.

"Yes sir!" Carmelita said, dashing towards the bear, who growled savagely and charged her, ignoring the shock pistol shots

Sly felt a sharp pain go through his heart at what the bloodhound called her. _Constable… She was demoted because of me… _

He started to run to help her, when a loud cry from Bentley caught his attention. A particularly vicious looking alligator cultist had gotten past the bombs, Penelope's remote chopper in wreckage. The cultist's robes were in smoldering tatters, but he didn't seem to care, as he had both Bentley and Penelope in a cruel choke hold.

Sly shook his head angrily and ran to help his friends. Leaping up onto the cultist's back, he slipped his cane underneath the alligator's chin and yanked back hard, choking out the massive cultist. He gagged, dropping Bentley and Penelope, the mouse helping Bentley back into his chair as best he could. After a few moments, the cultist collapsed for lack of air, and Sly let him go.

"Get out of here," he said, "Things are getting hot, and the cops can handle the rest as well as the remade Clockwerk parts."

Bentley nodded. "I agree. Can you pull the others out?"

Sly nodded. "Go. Penelope, make sure he gets out safely."

Penelope nodded. "Will do, Sly. See you back at the van," she said, wheeling Bentley's chair out, the automated motors damaged by the cultist.

Sly turned to the others. Murray and Dimitri were holding their own, but Panda King and Guru were starting to be overwhelmed. Guru's host had been shot, the pacifist priest having to run for his life. Sly quickly ran to his aid, throwing down a smoke bomb to cover his escape, escorting him to the exit.

Guru gave Sly a worried look as he left, the lithe young raccoon easily dodging shock pistol blasts from the cops as they took out the horde of cultists. The feeling that something bad was about to happen was getting worse…

Sly closed in on Panda King, who was now fighting off the largest of the cultists, a polar bear twice his size. It was clear Panda King was tiring, his body bearing several claw scars and bruises that showed up through his fur, as well as some burn scars from shock pistol blasts that had strayed towards him. Sly snuck up behind the cultist and swung his cane as hard as he could, striking the cultist in the kidneys. The cultist roared in agony from the blow, turning on Sly. Panda King took advantage of this, throwing the last of his fireworks in his launcher and firing them at point blank range in the cultist's face.

The polar bear collapsed, Panda King falling to his knees. Sly knocked out an Interpol agent that tried to come up and arrest them, and helped Panda King to his feet.

"You okay, big guy?" Sly asked, worried.

Panda King nodded. "I will be. I think maybe this plan was ill-advised…"

Sly grinned weakly. "Yeah, I guess. You know me, though, anything to spit in Clockwerk's face…"

Panda King chuckled. "I will meet you in the van, Sly Cooper," he rumbled, running for the back door as best he could.

Sly quickly looked around the field as he headed over to Dimitri. Cultists were being taken out by shock pistol blasts by the dozen. Murray and Dimitri were still holding their own, although Dimitri's suit was singed in several places by shock pistol blasts.

Murray noticed him and nodded. "We headin' out?" he called to him, knocking out a cultist and then picking him up to use as a shield from a shock pistol blast.

Sly nodded. "Yeah. The cops can handle the rest of these bozos. Nothing to steal here, anyway."

"Got it," Murray said, "You head out, I'll get Dimitri to the van. Start it up for me so we can get goin' the moment I take the wheel."

Sly grinned. "You got it, buddy," he said.

He turned to run for the exit, when he heard Carmelita cry out. The cult leader had stabbed her in the side, and was looming over her with a large sacrificial knife, laughing madly. Carmelita was on the ground, clutching her bleeding side, barely able to keep her shock pistol aimed at the man.

_No… NO!!! _Sly, love overriding any sense of self-preservation and instinct, charged the cult leader, running full tilt, ignoring anything in his path. Shock pistol bolts missed him by millimeters as he ran, leaping up and striking the cultist in the face with a blow that would have shattered any normal cane, sending him sprawling away from Carmelita.

Sly went to help Carmelita, gently helping the fox to her feet. "S-Sly?" she said dazedly.

"It's all right," he said, "I'll get you out of here… I'm so sorry, Carmelita, I didn't know that things would get this bad for you."

Carmelita stared at Sly, horror growing on her face. "You… You weren't supposed to be here! You SHOULDN'T be here!"

Sly blinked, confused. "Carmelita, what…"

She shook her head, her thoughts muddled. "Sly… You need to get out of here, now! They were WAITING for you!" she said, her voice uncharacteristically frantic.

Sly frowned. "Well, I kinda figured they would be…"

Carmelita shook her head. "No, you don't understand! These are SUICIDE cultists! They're all rigged to blow up once you showed up!"

Sly blinked, confused, and looked around. Interpol agents were working on disarming vests on all of the cultists they had arrested. Murray and Dimitri had apparently noticed this and were fighting their cultists more cautiously. Sly's eyes widened in fright. "Explode…"

The cult leader staggered to his feet, throwing off his armor and pulling open his robes, revealing a vest of TNT strapped to his chest. "That's right, Cooper," he laughed, "And now I can take care of BOTH of the fiends who killed our lord!"

"NO!" Carmelita screamed. She threw off Sly, tackling the cult leader and pushing him back into a nearby room, slamming the door behind them.

Sly stood there for a moment, too stunned to think. Then he started to run towards the door… which was promptly blown towards him when the cultist exploded.

Sly was thrown backwards, tumbling end over end as he crashed into a door on the other side of the room. Coughing, thoughts of Carmelita overriding his instincts, he pulled himself to his feet. His entire body was in pain from the blast, and he coughed up blood. He staggered to his feet, crossing the room again, picking his way into the rubble of the room.

He saw a destroyed mattress, and guessed that Carmelita must have tried to muffle the blast somehow, which explained why the room wasn't as destroyed as it could have been. He took note of it for only a second before looking around the room, looking for Carmelita.

And then he saw her, his heart shattering at the sight before him.

The blue-haired foxwoman lay lifelessly, her body twisted at an odd angle. The fur on her back was blackened, bits of shrapnel sticking out of her body.

"Oh no…" he moaned, slowly turning her over, staring into her lifeless eyes, her expression frozen in one of pain and shock. Tears flowed freely down Sly's face as he held Carmelita's face in his hands.

"Oh God no… Please… Don't let it end like this…" he moaned. He gently put her on her back, and began to give her mouth to mouth, frantically doing chest compressions, sobbing desperately. "Please… I'm so sorry Carmelita… Please, God, DON'T LET IT END LIKE THIS!!"

Dimitri ran into the room. "Crackerbox, let's GO! Murray's already did the dine and dash on out of here and…" he snapped, trailing off when he noticed Carmelita's body. "Mère de Dieu…" he whispered.

"Can't leave her…" Sly said, his voice frantic, "I have to… I have to save her… I…"

Dimitri shook his head, gently putting his hand on Sly's shoulder. "Sly… It's over… She's gone… We need to get moving or WE be gone too…"

"She's NOT GONE!" Sly snarled, glaring at Dimitri through tear-streaked eyes as he threw off his hand, "I can still save her… I can still make things right for us both!! I CAN!!"

Dimitri stared at Sly in shock, at the guilt and despair in his voice. He twitched when he heard the police approaching, and sighed. "I don't have time to argue with you, crackerbox," he said, charging his taser ring, "You'll thank me for this later."

Dimitri punched Sly, the taser ring electrocuting the already battered raccoon into unconsciousness. Dimitri picked Sly up, and quickly got out through the window, dodging the Interpol agents scattered about as they secured the perimeter, slowly closing on the back where the Cooper Van waited. He found the van waiting, a frantic and very angry Bentley waiting for them inside.

"FINALLY! What took you so long? They're almost here!" Bentley snapped.

"Complications. Get us out of here," Dimitri muttered as he set Sly down, not in the mood.

Murray frowned, remembering his master's concerns from earlier, but revved the van's engine, quickly heading off just as the Interpol agents came through the door they did.

Bentley stared at Sly's battered form for a moment, and frowned. "Murray said they were all wearing bomb vests… What happened in there? Why is Sly unconscious?"

Dimitri sighed, sitting down on the floor of the van and lighting a cigarette.

Bentley frowned deeply. "A bomb went off in there. What happened? Was Sly caught in the explosion?"

"Someone was," Dimitri muttered.

Guru gave Dimitri a sad look, suddenly understanding. A look of horror appeared on Murray's face as he suddenly realized. "Last I saw of Sly, he was going over to help Carmelita with the cult leader… Was she…?"

Dimitri just sighed, nodding.

A chill ran through the collected members of the Cooper Gang. Bentley's normally lightning fast mind froze, unable to wrap itself around the concept of Carmelita Fox, Sly's love interest and the longtime rival of the Gang being dead.

Murray remembered how nice she was to him. She was dedicated to her job, but she wasn't mean about it. She really did care for Sly, he could tell, and he gave him jellybeans to eat when he had him prisoner one time, even though she didn't have to.

Penelope had been a little jealous of Carmelita at first, before she had gotten over her schoolgirl crush on Sly. But she had respected the dedication she had to her job, and the risks she was willing to take to bring in lawbreakers and stop madmen like Doctor M. She had grown new appreciation for her when she heard that Carmelita herself had come up with the scam to make Sly her partner in Interpol. It hadn't worked out, but she had confidence that she and Sly would find some way to get back together. That hope was gone now, having died with Carmelita…

Panda King remembered Carmelita as an honorable woman. She had personally arranged for his daughter to visit him in prison, which led to his eventual parole and subsequently put him on the path to redemption for his past sins. He said a silent prayer for her in Chinese…

Dimitri's memories of Carmelita were less fond, but he respected Sly's feelings for her, and knew that he would be hurting once he woke up, and would try to hurt him for taking him away from Carmelita. But he knew that he was in the right. And he had a feeling that Carmelita would appreciate him saving Sly from being arrested. At least, by anyone other than HER…

Penelope was the first to recover her voice. "So… So what now?"

Bentley shook his head, clearing his mind enough to function. "There's a doctor at the local hospital who owes us a favor. We stole back an important keepsake of his late wife and daughter's that a bunch of local mobsters had taken as protection payment, and he said he'd give us free medical care whenever we needed it, no questions asked, no turning us in."

Murray nodded. "I'll get us there."

The gang drove off in silence, heading for the hospital to take care of Sly's wounds.

------------------

_Elsewhere…_

_Later…_

------------------

The bloodhound agent that had led the charge in the hotel pressed his palm to a scanner, the only unique feature in the cold, dark corridor. He waited patiently, his dark brown fur almost blending in with the copper-colored metal of the hall. The door opened, and he walked into the medical lab, where several doctors were working frantically on a patient.

"Is she almost cleaned up?" he said, his voice colder than glacial ice.

One doctor nodded. "We're just finishing up now. The shrapnel is removed, her wounds are stitched up, and her fur has been restored. Thankfully, aside from a little bruising, there's no bone damage. Good thing that explosion wasn't all that powerful."

"So she'll retain full mobility, then," the bloodhound stated, "She won't need enhancement or prosthetics."

"Yes, Agent Mortis," the doctor said, the tabby cat smiling sycophantically, "She'll need recovery time from her ordeal, of course, but from all accounts the deception went off perfectly, so we have plenty of time for that."

Agent Mortis nodded, looking at the clock on the wall. "Do we have time to revive her?" he said, looking back down at the nude corpse of Carmelita Montoya Fox laying on the table.

The doctor nodded, pulling out a syringe. "We're down to the wire, but we still have time before the effects of the fake death pill become permanent," he said. He tapped the bubbles out of the golden liquid in the syringe, and injected it into Carmelita's heart.

The doctor injected the whole contents of the syringe in, and then removed it, stepping away. There was a long, tense moment as there seemed to no affect. Carmelita lay there lifelessly, not moving.

Then, so suddenly that the doctors in the room all jumped back in fright, she sat up, taking a long, gasping breath.

Agent Mortis stared at her emotionlessly. "You are well, then?"

Carmelita wheezed for a moment, trying to catch her breath and get used to all of her bodily functions working again. She glared at Agent Mortis and nodded. "Took you… long enough…" she wheezed, crossing her arms over her bare chest and shivering.

Agent Mortis motioned to one of the doctors, who promptly got Carmelita a hospital gown. She stared at it for a moment and reluctantly put it on. She glared at Agent Mortis again.

"You didn't say Sly would be there… I didn't want him to see that…" she snapped.

Agent Mortis scowled. "An unfortunate circumstance. However as we were using a fake faction of the Children of Clockwerk as the ruse, Cooper's intervention was inevitable," he said. He shook his head, annoyed with her. "I still don't know what you see in him…"

Carmelita sighed, looking down at the floor. "It's… complicated…" she said, unable to fully voice how she felt about the charming thief.

Agent Mortis snorted. "I don't pretend to understand how love works. I just think you could have done much better, especially since it nearly cost you your job when you helped fake his amnesia. But that's not the point. We've successfully faked your death, and can begin your training."

Carmelita glared at him intently. "And you'll keep your end of the bargain?"

Agent Mortis nodded. "As per our agreement, the Cooper Gang will have all charges against them dropped. The charges against Chief Inspector Barkley and your assistant Winthrop will be dropped as well for their part in that ridiculous 'amnesia' scheme. We owe Cooper a favor for the cases he helped close for our organization while he was a part of Interpol, so I don't feel too badly about this."

Carmelita nodded. _I can do at least that much for you, ringtail… I'm sorry it came to this… _She sighed, and looked at the floor again. "So what am I being trained for, anyway? You never really made it clear to me when you got me in on this scheme."

Agent Mortis looked thoughtful for a moment, and sent the doctors out of the room. "I suppose that since we're ready to begin, I can tell you. In fifteen years, a contest will be held between the greatest thieves in the world. It only occurs once a generation, and only the greatest thieves on the planet are invited to participate. The artifact being offered as the grand prize is an ancient crown of tremendous mystical power. Our organization naturally would prefer that power be in the hands of the proper authorities, contained and stored away where no one can use it."

Carmelita nodded. "And you want me to become a master thief, so I can be entered into the contest."

Agent Mortis smirked. It looked unnatural on his stone cold face. "Something like that," he said, moving to a closet in the room. He opened it, revealing a bright red coat and a wide-brimmed hat. "For all intents and purposes, Carmelita Montoya Fox is dead. You will be trained to take the place of a master thief that died a few years back, a woman of such skill that nobody was ever able to catch her. You will be altered physically to look exactly like her. You will be trained and drilled in her abilities and movements, her manner of speech, her various personal quirks, so much so that being her will feel more natural to you than being Carmelita does now. Your reflexes will be rewired to match hers. Your skills, your mannerisms, all of it remade into her."

Carmelita shook her head, confused, trying to figure out why that coat and hat looked familiar. "Who am I taking the place of?"

Agent Mortis grinned viciously. "She was my rival. The only one I could never catch. The only reason I was able to find her is that her gang betrayed her and killed her. Her name is… Carmen Sandiego."

Carmelita stared at him for a moment, recognition dawning. And then she snickered.

Agent Mortis frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Carmen Sandiego?" Carmelita laughed, "You're wanting me to become a fictional character that's used to teach kids stuff?"

To her surprise, Agent Mortis just chuckled. "Ah yes… That was a brilliant bit of cover-up on my part," he said, preening a little.

Carmelita stared. "She… She was REAL?!"

Agent Mortis nodded. "And while some of her robberies were exaggerated, she was just as skilled as she is portrayed in the educational games. She was the best, matched only by Conner Cooper and Arsene Lupin the 2nd. I personally supervised the creation of the games. My little bit of revenge on the woman who made my life a living Hell."

Carmelita stared at the hat and coat, her heart sinking as it finally started to set in; her life was over. She'd never be able to see her father again. The only way she'd see Sly again is as a rival thief, her friends at Interpol she'd only be able to see as a criminal.

Agent Mortis watched as the sadness started to settle into Carmelita, a tear streaming down her face.

"It's hard, Carmelita. But you're doing the right thing," Agent Mortis said, his voice without sympathy, "That crown is too dangerous. And you're the only one close enough to Carmen Sandiego in body type and physical ability to make this work."

Carmelita shook her head, curling up on the doctor's table, wrapping her arms around her legs. "It's just… so much to take in…"

Agent Mortis sighed, irritated. "I'll give you three days to recover. I'll set something up so you can watch your funeral. I'll even update you on Cooper's condition. But be ready, as your training will begin soon. Prepare for the roughest years of your life."

**------ TO BE CONTINUED… -----**


	2. The Case of the Crowned Kitty

_**Scarlet Fox: Chapter 2**_

_The Case of the Crowned Kitty By Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires_

_

* * *

_

_An airport…_

_Paris, France…  
--------------------------_

"Seal the area!!" snarled Agent Mortis, armed and armored officers tromping into the airport. He pulled out a megaphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. We've tracked a dangerous criminal to this airport. We need everyone to head into the main lobby to be checked and cleared before they are allowed to exit the building."

SWAT team members stood at the entrance, rifles and shields at the ready. More SWAT officers, all Collies of various backgrounds, headed throughout the airport, heading people to the center. Agent Mortis, growling irritatedly, stormed up to the counters, ignoring the frightened questions of the crowd, barely held in check by the SWAT Team.

"I want all flights grounded," Agent Mortis snarled, scaring the clerk behind the desk. "I want everyone off those planes NOW."

The clerk, a brunette mouse, whimpered, "S-Sir, I don't have that authority…"

"Then find me someone who does!" Agent Mortis barked.

A few moments later, the head air traffic controller was brought over. "Sir," the female SWAT officer said, "This man is wanting to speak to you."

"I am the head air traffic controller! What is the meaning of this?!" the chubby poodle demanded in badly accented English.

"You have the authority to ground all flights?" Agent Mortis asked. When the head ATC nodded, Agent Mortis growled, "Then DO IT."

"WHY?!" the head ATC demanded.

"Because a dangerous criminal was seen entering this airport and may have boarded one of your planes. I want all flights grounded and all passengers brought in here NOW!!" Agent Mortis snarled, veins bulging in the bloodhound's head.

As if on cue, as if mocking the irate agent, the sound of three different planes taking off from different runways echoed throughout the airport, Agent Mortis staring at the closest plane with a look of growing rage.

"GOD DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" Agent Mortis bellowed, "I want flight manifests for those three flights pulled up now!!"

The head ATC, becoming concerned for his safety, nodded to the clerk, who gulped and pulled up the flight records, checking for the last three flights that left and pulling up their passenger manifests. Agent Mortis pushed her out of the way and read the manifests, tapping one name on the list of the flight to America.

"That's her. Redd Vulpes," he said, "That's an alias she used. We've got her now…" Agent Mortis laughed viciously. "Contact the authorities at the airport that flight lands in, tell them to lock that plane down," he snapped to some nearby officers.

"S-Sir?" the clerk stammered.

"WHAT?!" Agent Mortis snarled.

"S-Sir… Miss Vulpes never showed up. She made the reservation, but she never showed up to claim her ticket."

Agent Mortis blinked. "You're sure? Cape fox, brown hair, bright red coat and hat?"

The clerk shook her head. "N-No sir. A coat and hat like that would have stood out, and while there have been several foxes that have passed through here, no one was wearing that."

Agent Mortis grit his teeth for moment, and took a deep breath, visibly forcing himself to be calm. "Yes… Of course… I've trained her too well… She wouldn't make it that easy…"

The head ATC, the clerk, and the nearby SWAT officers looked at him in confusion. His demeanor changed completely, going from raging volcano to glacial ice in an instant, an amused smirk crossing his face.

"It seems you've passed your final test… Carmen…" he said, so quietly that the others didn't understand him.

And on a flight to London, England, a Cape fox known as Carmen Sandiego, formerly known as the red fox Carmelita Montoya Fox, closed her eyes and rested, knowing that she had completed her final test successfully: escaping Agent Mortis's clutches. Her coat and hat were stored in her luggage, a conservative black cotton shirt and dress the only things she wore, sneakers adorning her feet, her hair done up in a ponytail. A simple disguise, but it kept her from standing out too much.

She sighed. Her fur and hair had been permanently dyed silvery-gray and brown respectively, her flanks and underside colored a light yellow. Her eyes had been surgically recolored to blue, light surgery done to her face to alter her appearance even further. After that had been done to her, things had gotten difficult. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, seeing the face of the woman she had become rather than her own.

"Carmen Sandiego," she said softly in Carmen's voice, unable to remember how her original voice sounded.

She frowned, idly wiping her hand over the image, still seeing the dark fur and blue eyes. It had been so long since she had seen her old face… She had gone through ten years of intensive training from the obsessive Agent Mortis, eighteen hours each day, cut off totally from the outside world, the man seeming to know every facet of Carmen Sandiego's life. Her personality, her mannerisms, her voice, Carmelita had been drilled it in all, training so that her abilities could match Carmen Sandiego's to the point where she could barely remember how to be Carmelita Fox.

She shivered, and looked away from the window, unable to bear seeing her reflection anymore. She felt lost and alone. The ID she was carrying was fake, a hasty batch of papers and identification created while running from Agent Mortis. Worst of all, she didn't even feel like herself anymore. She regretted even going into that horrible man's care, her strong sense of duty, her own stubbornness, and the deal she had made to protect Sly the only thing that kept her from just quitting.

The last part of her training was the worst. She had actually completed the training after nine years, becoming so skilled at being Carmen that speaking in her voice, moving in her manner was more natural to Carmelita than being Carmelita herself did. The last task she had to complete was escaping from the compound and getting out of the city before she was recaptured. It had taken her a year and over fifty increasingly brutal recaptures, but she had finally done it.

Now she just had to find a way to make a name for herself as a master thief and get asked to join the thieving competition.

She closed her eyes and slept, whimpering softly in her sleep as she was haunted by dreams of her training, the brutality inflicted by the determined Agent Mortis. She apparently slept for the rest of the way, as a stewardess shook her awake.

Carmelita awoke with a start, breathing heavily. She looked up at the person who woke her, a concerned-looking lamb. "Are you okay, miss?" she asked, legitimate concern in her eyes, "You were crying in your sleep."

Carmelita blinked, and rubbed her face, feeling the dampness in her fur. She smiled weakly. "Sorry… I've just gotten out of a bad situation is all," she said, Carmen's voice flowing out of her mouth naturally.

The stewardess bit her lip. "…Do you need shelter? Or perhaps someone to talk to?"

Carmelita shook her head. "No no, I'm fine."

The stewardess nodded. "Still…" she said, pulling a card out of her pocket, "…If you ever do need someone to talk to, try calling these people. They're completely anonymous, you never have to give your real name if you don't want to."

The card was for a rape support group. Carmelita looked up at the woman, suddenly getting what the stewardess thought was wrong, and feeling deep sympathy for the woman. "I…" Carmelita thought for a moment, and just smiled, saying, "Thank you. I really will consider it."

The stewardess gently patted her on the shoulder. "They can really help. Do you need assistance deboarding?"

Carmelita shook her head. "I just have the two carry-ons," she said.

The stewardess nodded, and moved to the next passenger. Carmelita sighed, and removed her bags from the overhead compartment, and left the plane. She allowed herself a snicker as she left the airport, imagining the look on Mortis's face once it had sunk in she'd escaped.

She sighed again, as thinking of Agent Mortis brought back memories of the training. She pushed those thoughts aside. She had managed to hack into the accounts for the facility she was trained at and siphon away some money into a private account, so she had money. (She hoped. She never found out if the hacking had been discovered. She still wasn't confident on computers no matter how much they drilled her, and would probably do a quick withdrawal once she was set up…) All she needed now was a place to stay, a safehouse to retreat to when not on a heist.

She grabbed a realtor's guide and hailed a taxi, having him drive her around while she looked. She ignored the cabby's banter, eventually stopping at the realtor's office. She purchased a small house just outside the city, a little ways into the foothills. It was a cottage, really, an old farmhouse, but it was well-maintained, and the previous owners had left furniture. She set her bags down in the bedroom closet, hanging up her clothes and putting away her various other tools. She laid down on the bed, sighing and setting up a small clock. Day turned into night as she stared at the ceiling, watching the ceiling fan turn slowly.

_Damn it all… _she thought. _I never realized how lonely I would be… My family, my friends… Sly… They all think I'm dead… _

It was a crushing weight on her soul, an empty feeling that threatened to consume her. She was alone now. Completely and totally alone. She was living in a cottage on the outskirts of England, living on a fake ID, cut off from anyone who knew her, and ten years behind the times.

_I could just quit, try to start fresh_, she thought. _I have the skills now, I could easily set up something for myself... But Agent Mortis is probably looking for me still, and I really don't want to go back to that hellhole. But if I follow through on the plan, that will get other cops looking for me. But if I don't Mortis will get mad and probably try to make me REALLY dead. But if I do then I'll have to deal with other crooks who aren't as friendly as Sly and probably won't take too well to some new chica moving in. But if I don't then… But if but if but if AAAAGH!!!_

Carmelita put her hands over her face, muffling a scream of frustration. She sighed, and decided to just sleep. The bed that had been left in the cottage was comfortable, a welcome change from the pads she had been forced to sleep on before while in training.

Hours passed, and she slept through the night and into the day. She awoke in the afternoon, when the sun was poking through the windows of her home. Carmelita winced as the light shone on her face, yawning as she reluctantly sat up. She looked at the clock, blinking. She chuckled weakly.

_Didn't realize I slept that long… Ah, hell with it, this is the first real bed I've had available to me in years. _She flopped back down on the bed, debating the merits of just going back to sleep. Her stomach grumbled, however, and she decided to head out and get something to eat.

She opened her closet, saw the coat and hat staring at her, and sighed. _Might as well get used to wearing it, _she thought. She took the coat and hat out, as well as a pair of black gloves and boots and a black, formfitting bodysuit. She took a shower, making a mental note to register with water and power before the cutoff was reached. She let the warm water wash over her fur, sighing and staring at her hands. She half expected the grayish dye to wash out of her fur, seeing the familiar reddish orange coming back. But the color stayed, as if it were her natural.

Sighing wearily, she finished off, soaping and shampooing clean, deliberately taking her time, savoring the warm water washing over her. Back in her training, she was only aloud to take short, scalding hot showers at the end of the day before her dinner and a brief period of sleep.

_It's amazing… _she thought, _All these little things… People take them for granted… A decade ago a shower just would have been part of the day for me… And now it's one of the most wonderful things in the world… _

She chuckled softly, and sighed, making a mental note to buy some bubble soap and take a bubble bath later. _Or I could just steal it. I _AM _supposed to be a thief now, after all_…

Finishing her shower and toweling dry, she put on her clothes, slipping the form-fitting black catsuit over her body. She looked at it in the mirror, nodding in approval. _If nothing else, she was practical in what to wear under the coat…_ Carmelita thought idly as she put on the boots that went with them. She put the coat and gloves on, filling the pockets and pouches of the coat with various 'tools of the trade,' and picked up the hat.

She stared at herself in the mirror for a long moment, staring at the dark-furred fox that looked back out at her.

_I could still get out of this… I could… _she thought.

_Who the hell are you kidding, niña? _another voice told her. _You may hate what's happened to you, but you have a job to do. Go out there and make a name for yourself._

Carmelita frowned, sighing. She was getting sick of hearing that sound from herself, but she figured that she'd be hearing it several hundred times more before this was finished.

She looked at herself again, and smirked. She didn't see Carmelita Montoya Fox in the mirror, and doubted she'd ever see her again. She saw a calm, cocky woman who looked like she was capable of anything. Carmelita vowed to herself that she'd make the best of this situation. That'd she'd live up to the name that she was wearing.

She called for a taxi, making a mental note to 'acquire' a car at some point, and drove into the city. Carmelita left herself behind, taking Carmen Sandiego into the city.

She had the driver let her off near the central district, sitting down at a café and calmly sipping tea, watching the sunset. She smiled, savoring the simple beauty of it.

_Okay 'Carmen,' _Carmelita thought to herself, _You're supposed to be a master thief, make a splash. What will you steal to seal your rep? _

Big Ben thundered in the distance. Carmelita flinched reflexively, turning towards the sound, and sighed, shaking her head. But as she was turning, she noticed the Tower of London in the distance.

Carmelita grinned. "Of course. The Crown Jewels," she said, mainly to herself, "What better way to announce my 'return' than taking the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom?"

"You'll have to wait in line, love," said a voice from behind her.

Carmelita whirled, hand reaching into a pocket for the weapon she had brought with her. She scowled when she saw the figure standing behind her, but quickly hid the expression in a smirk.

"Well now… Neyla, right? I heard you were supposed to be dead," Carmelita said.

The purple furred tigress, clad in brown shorts and a dark black shirt, scowled back at Carmelita. "Isn't that a coincidence?" she said, her cultured accent dripping with disdain, "Because I happen to KNOW you are dead."

Carmelita frowned inwardly, but didn't let her expression betray her concern. _Neyla knew Carmen?_ she thought. She calmly sipped her tea.

It was definitely Neyla all right, Carmelita was sure of that. But she had changed. Her shirt and headscarf were now dark black, her circlet tarnished-looking, and her eyes, pupil, sclera, and all were completely ghost white. There was visible scarring on her arms, leading over her shoulders and onto her back, the fur there discolored awkwardly.

Neyla frowned. "Enough chit-chat. I know Carmen Sandiego died years ago. Who the bloody hell are you?"

"You first, kitten," Carmelita snarked, "I feel no need to explain myself to someone as rude as you."

"I almost died, and survived through sheer dumb luck. Let's just leave it at that. Who the bloody hell are you?" Neyla said, one hand on her whip.

Carmelita thought about it, and decided to risk it. "Dumb luck indeed. Last I heard of you, kitten, you had merged with the Clockwerk frame and killed your mentor. After the Hate Chip was destroyed all the Clockwerk parts dissolved."

Neyla flinched, her eyes widening. "How could you possibly know any of that?"

Carmelita sipped her tea calmly. "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," she said simply, wishing she could remember how her own voice sounded.

Neyla stared at her a long moment, confusion twisting her face. Then she gasped, her eyes widening. "C-Carmelita?"

Carmelita just nodded, softly. "Mostly, anyway."

Neyla stared at her a moment… and then giggled nervously. "Oh… Oh dear…"

Carmelita gave Neyla a confused look. The tigress began shifting through her pockets, pulling out a bottle of pills. She giggled again. "I need to see my doctor again… The pills aren't working, I'm starting to hallucinate again…"

_Hallucinate?! What the Hell has happened to her?_ Carmelita blinked. "I assure you I'm real, Neyla."

Neyla giggled, shaking her head and repocketing the pills. "No, no, no. I was at Carmelita's funeral. Arpeggio showed me Carmen's corpse, where it had been buried in the Haitian swamps… You can't be real. You're just a ghost. Like Clockwerk. Heheh…" she said, shaking her head desperately.

Carmelita stood up, frowning. She never thought she would feel sympathy for Neyla, but she was starting to. Neyla turned her back to Carmelita, thumping herself in the head, revealing the scarring on her back, the half-grown in patches of fur.

Neyla giggled nervously again. "I suppose I should count myself lucky that Clockwerk's not talking to me yet, but if I'm seeing things again I will probably be hearing from him soon. Yes. Best to go home and call my doctor, yes yes."

Carmelita frowned. She couldn't let Neyla leave. Not only because she KNEW that she was a fake Carmen and that she knew that she wasn't really dead, but because she was worried about her. That, and she wanted to find out how Neyla lived through their last encounter.

She grabbed Neyla's arm, and forced the tigress to look at her. Neyla squeaked, and closed her eyes, shaking her head. "No no no no no. You're not real. You're NOT! You're _NOT_!!!"

Carmelita grabbed Neyla's head, forcing her to hold still. The tigress stared at her, whimpering. "You can't be real, you can't be…"

"Listen to me, Neyla," she said in a quiet, intense voice. Neyla tried to scream, but Carmelita clamped her hand over the tigress's mouth. She quickly glanced over at the café, the owner still inside, patiently waiting for Carmelita to finish, the closed sign still up on the door. No one else was on the street except the two of them. She turned back to Neyla, and continued, saying, "I don't know what's happened to you, but I am real. I am here. And I need to calm down. Now."

Neyla whimpered for a long moment, staring at Carmelita's face, breathing heavily. Slowly, as her damaged mind started to accept what she was seeing as real, she began to calm down. Carmelita, sensing this, released her grip on Neyla's mouth.

"You… You really are Carmelita, aren't you?" Neyla said in an awed, confused tone of voice.

Carmelita frowned. "For the most part, yes."

Neyla shook her head, taking a deep breath and fully calming down, Carmelita letting go of Neyla's arm. Neyla frowned, and said, "Incredible… I… I saw your body in the casket… Where have you been all this time? And why do you look like Carmen Sandiego now?"

Carmelita sighed. "In exchange for the Cooper Gang getting a walk on… pretty much everything they do, I agreed to become Carmen Sandiego. You familiar with the Grand Rogue's Competition?"

Neyla, still staring at Carmelita, sat down with her, nodding, "I am. Arpeggio said the competition was his next goal after getting…" she visibly flinched, unwilling to say the name, "…that bird's metal body as his own."

Carmelita quirked an eyebrow, taking note of Neyla's unwillingness to say the name. "Hnh. The agent who took me in trained me how to be Carmen Sandiego. He wanted me to become a master thief and get myself invited into the competition."

Neyla blinked. "Agent… Agent Mortis?" she asked. Carmelita nodded, and Neyla pulled her hood down, revealing that her long black hair was now cut very short and had turned start white, she rubbed her temples in confusion. "That makes no sense… He HATED Carmen. Hated her to the point of madness. Contessa thinks that he may have deliberately tricked Vic the Slick and the others of Carmen's group into rebelling."

Carmelita blinked. "Contessa was Carmen's Contessa? Like in the educational games?"

Neyla rolled her ghostly eyes. "God those stupid games… A last bit of pettiness from an idiot who thought it'd be an insult… Contessa told me that she would have actually considered it a compliment, that people could learn from her… She was a lot like Sly, actually, except nowhere near as nice," she said, shrugging, "Anyway, yes, she was. Arpeggio was as well. Contessa, Rajan, and Dimitri were already in the KLAWW Gang when Arpeggio took me on as his apprentice. Arpeggio took her in because the two of them were among the only three members of VILE that didn't betray Carmen."

Carmelita shook her head. "I'll have to be careful if I ever encounter her again." More bothersome than that was the little revelation about Mortis and his connection with Carmen. This entire plan was starting to feel 'off' to Carmelita…

Neyla nodded. "So… You faked your own death?"

Carmelita sipped her tea and nodded. "They did. Fake death pill to create a body… Which unfortunately Sly saw… And a fake body in the coffin. My training started as soon as the body reconstruction was done."

Neyla shook her head, amazed. "Pretty damn good reconstruction. You look, you sound, you act just like her... bloody hell, you even have her scent. If I didn't know it was Old Ironsides under there, I'd swear that you were actually old Carmen back from the dead."

Carmelita shook her head, sighing. "They were… thorough…" she said, polishing off her tea. "So what about you, Neyla? How did you survive?"

Neyla fidgeted with her tail, biting her lip nervously. For a moment, Carmelita thought Neyla was going to have a nervous breakdown from the way she was shaking, but after a moment Neyla took a deep breath, calming herself forcefully. "Clo… That bird was still alive when I entered the frame. Apparently when you and Sly defeated him that first time, all that happened was the last remaining bits of his organics, contained and preserved in his head, were burned away by the lava… except for his brain, which was still preserved inside the central processor where the Hate chip was. When I entered… Clo… That bird… he 'interfaced' with me…"

Carmelita's eyes widened slightly. "The scars on your back…"

Neyla nodded. "Wires came down, and hooked themselves up to my back… And I started hearing… that bird's voice in my head… The first thing he said to me was 'You'll do.' After that I… I just started feeling this incredible RAGE… I felt the need to lash out… I was annoyed with Cooper before for getting in my way, but after Clo… that bird got into my head, I wanted to destroy him. I wanted to tear apart anything that even reminded me of Cooper… I-Including Arpeggio… I… I can't really remember what actions were mine and what were Clo… were his…"

She shivered. "I… I felt everything. Every blaster shot that hit the frame I felt as if it were my own skin, magnifying the pain I already felt from having Clo… that bird linked up to me physically… After the Hate Chip was destroyed, the wires just sort of melted out of me, and I fell into the river… I guess being a part of that bird did this to my hair and eyes… When I got pulled out of the river, I was raving… All I could hear was Clo… that bird's voice in my head, he wouldn't shut up, he kept TAUNTING me, kept calling me COWARDLY, I…"

Neyla shivered, tears streaming down her face. She pulled her legs up on the chair, taking an almost fetal position on the chair. "I… I was locked up in an asylum in France for five years before they could make the voices stop. The pills are the only thing that control it, now, and they're damned expensive. I've tried to get a job, but an ex-con from the nuthouse isn't exactly viable work material."

Carmelita nodded. Inwardly, though, she was stunned. She didn't know whether or not to believe Neyla's story, but her behavior was too real. Even Neyla wasn't that good an actress. Plus, she had caught the label on Neyla's pill bottle, recognizing it as a known, very potent anti-psychotic. She frowned, and realized something. "You're going after the jewels as well."

Neyla nodded, chuckling weakly. "I know a few fences who are willing to work with rare artifacts, melt down gold and resale it, and so forth. I figure with the money I could make from the Crown Jewels, I can keep myself in meds for a good long time."

Carmelita nodded. "Hm…" she said, her tail flitting thoughtfully.

_The original Carmen had a gang… And Neyla's so damaged right now that I doubt she'd have the energy to betray me again… I don't like this, but I think I can control her with her anti-psychotic meds. And… And if nothing else, I can have someone to talk to for real…_

She thought for a long moment, and said, "What is your plan to get the jewels?"

Neyla smirked weakly. "What, planning on stealing them before I can?"

"Debating a partnership. I've been out of touch for ten years, and could use the company. Even if it is you," Carmelita snarked.

Neyla chuckled. "Sounds tempting… But I figured you'd want Sly for this…"

Carmelita winced. "Sly saw me die… I… I'm not ready to let him know I'm alive…"

Neyla frowned. "You have to face him sometime, whether it goes well or not…"

Carmelita smirked. "I take it you met up with them again?"

Neyla grinned weakly, rubbing the back of her head. "Bentley's still a little pissed at me."

Carmelita sneered. "Can't imagine why. All you did was cripple him."

Neyla coughed nervously, fidgeting in her seat.

Carmelita sighed. "Anyway, what's your plan?"

Neyla nodded. "I have a plan to break into the Tower of London. I've got knockout gas, a full map of the building, a reflector for the lasers, a sonic device to disable the sound sensors… Security's been stepped up since 9/11, but I think I can get by them and…"

Carmelita blinked. "9/11?"

Neyla blinked. "9/11. The day the World Trade Center was destroyed. Terrorists crashed planes into the towers and the Pentagon. Fourth one went down before crashing into anything after the passengers tried to take control of the flight."

"WHAT?!" Carmelita almost shrieked, standing up in her seat.

Neyla stared at her. "…When you said out of touch, you weren't kidding. The entire world heard about that…"

Carmelita stared at Neyla for a moment, and then sat down hard. "When we're done, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me pretty much everything I've missed since I went under."

Neyla nodded. "Anyway…" she said, going into her plan to break into the Tower of London and steal the Crown Jewels.

Carmelita nodded, and smirked. "There's one good reason why your plan will never work."

Neyla frowned. "And that is?"

Carmelita just smirked. "Ask yourself this: Why has Sly never been credited with stealing the Crown Jewels when there's a photo of him leaving the Tower of London with them?"

Neyla blinked.

Carmelita chuckled, standing up. "When you realize how badly you've been suckered, come find me in Regent Park." She calmly dusted herself off and walked away.

Neyla frowned at her. "Where are you going?"

"I need a car. I'm going to 'borrow' one," she said, sauntering off down the street, waving to Neyla. "See you next crime."

_Christ, she even has her catch phrase… _Neyla frowned, but decided to just go ahead with her plan. The jewels would be hers tonight.

* * *

_Later that evening…_

_Tower of London…_

* * *

Two members of the Queen's Guard stood stoically around the display case, moving in even, ordered patrols. Their rifles were held over their shoulders, ready to be deployed at any time. The Lord Treasurer had gone home for the evening, leaving only the two guards. Well trained and well drilled, they formed a moving wall around the gems, their footsteps muffled by the carpet.

Neither of them noticed the slinky, purple-striped figure in the ventilation shaft above them, the detection lasers deflected around her by several well-placed mirrors. She smirked down at the guards, and triggered the sonic dampening device she had with her.

She frowned when one of the guards twitched and reached up to scratch his ear, revealing that he was a canine, and thus more sensitive to sonics. She decided to just keep going, dropping the knockout gas canister out of the vent. The sonic dampening device nullified the tiny clink of the gas canister hitting the glass display case, as well as the hiss of the gas canister discharging its payload. Neyla slipped on her gas mask, checking the harness she wore, watching in amusement as the guards coughed, desperately trying to stay awake as the gas took effect. She dropped down into the display room, carrying a large sack.

"Hmmm, lovely," she said, looking over the shimmering treasures in the room. She lashed her whip about, slashing the tops of the containers off, and quickly moved from one display case to another, putting the crowns, swords, orbs, scepters, the rings, bracelets, and other treasures into the satchel. She looked over at the throne, smirking. "Maybe next time," she said, throwing the sack of treasure over her shoulder. She went over to the hallway, quickly looking left and right, before dashing down the hall towards a window. A trio of guards tried to stop her, but she lashed her whip, knocking their weapons away in one stroke, wrapping her whip around their necks in another, and knocking them out via slamming their heads into the wall with the third stroke. Leaping out of the window, she lashed her whip up at an overhanging gargoyle.

"Time to go," she said, smirking as the alarms began to go off. She affixed the sack to her harness, and climbed up the sturdy line of her whip. She lifted herself up onto the roof of the tower, but stumbled a little, dropping one of the orbs out of the sack. She ran after it to catch it, but it rolled off the side. She cursed, watching it fall, and started to turn to leave, heading for the mini-copter she used to get there, but froze in her tracks when she heard a very familiar sound.

She looked back over the side, and saw that the orb she dropped had shattered completely.

"Fiberglass?! Gold-painted fiberglass?!" Neyla shrieked.

She opened the sack and emptied out the contents, checking each one.

"Gold paint… Aluminum… Gold paint… Cheap velvet… Gold paint… And the jewels themselves are GLASS!?" she shrieked, kneeling amongst what she now knew was fake treasure. "What the bloody hell is going on?!"

"Smile!" said a voice.

She looked up, a befuddled expression on her face, not noticing until it was far too late that quintet of guard had caught up to her, and that one of them had a camera.

**CLICK**.

Neyla blinked at the flash, trying to clear away the bright spots. The guards looked at the polaroid that came out of the camera, chuckling.

"Nice," said one guard, "She'll look great next to the one of the Cooper Gang."

"Thank you, Nigel," said the guard that took the picture, "I do pride myself on my timing and composition."

Neyla glared at them all incredulously. "FAKE?! The Jewels are FAKE!?":

The guards ignored her, chuckling at the picture. She growled ferally. "Gimme that!" she snapped, grabbing at the picture. The cameraman dodged away, grinning.

"Unwritten rule, thiefy. You get five minutes after the picture before we call the authorities on you. I suggest making use of it," Nigel said, stepping in front of his friend and aiming his rifle at her.

Neyla fumed. "All of you can bugger off," she muttered, leaving the sack of phony treasure. She got into her mini-copter and headed off for her hideout. The only thing that was going through Neyla's head was the thought _SHE KNEW…_

The next night, Neyla went to Regent Park, finding Carmelita there, sitting on a bench and happily eating a hot, buttered roll, looking at the entrance to the zoo. Carmelita smiled when she saw Neyla and waved her over.

"So how'd it go?" she asked.

"All fakes," Neyla muttered

"As fake as my fur color," Carmelita agreed.

"And they took my picture," Neyla growled.

Carmelita snickered. "I had the one they took of the Cooper Gang framed on my desk."

Neyla scowled. "How did you know?"

Carmelita calmly finished her roll and smirked. "After the last time the jewels were stolen, a new system was devised to protect them. Very realistic fakes would be kept in the actual jewel room while the real crown jewels would be moved around constantly, in a different truck each month. Only a small handful of people in the British Government actually know where they are, as well as a handful of people in Interpol, as they came up with the idea."

Neyla folded her arms, frowning. "And how do you know that?"

Carmelita giggled. "My father was in on the project from Interpol's end. When I took his job after retirement, I was informed of it. It's the greatest joke the law ever played on crime."

Neyla growled ferally.

Carmelita sneered. "Careful. They may put you in the zoo. And I hear that they're looking for a mate for one of your feral cousins in there."

Neyla growled again, and looked away, pouting. "I suppose you know where the real Crown Jewels are?"

Carmelita nodded. "I do."

There was a long pause. Neyla fumed. "Well?"

Carmelita looked Neyla straight in her ghostly eyes. "First, agree to two things," Carmelita said. "First, that you are never to refer to me as anything other than Carmen Sandiego. I may not like what's happened to me, and thanks to you am starting to have doubts about Mortis, but I am going to follow through on it. As far as anyone relevant is concerned, Carmelita Montoya Fox is dead," she finished, wincing a little from the ache in her heart at that last sentence.

Neyla sighed, and then nodded. "Fine. It's disturbing how much like her you are now anyway…"

Carmelita sighed. "Second thing, you work for me. Without question. You are my partner, and when I eventually expand, my second-in-command."

Neyla stared at her for a long moment, and then nodded.

Carmelita frowned suspiciously. "You agreed to that awful quickly," she said.

Neyla grinned weakly. "Clo… That bird isn't the only avian I have nightmares about…"

Carmelita frowned. _It seems I'm not the only damaged one out there tonight…_ "Good," she said, nodding. "Then we can begin."

Neyla nodded. "What's the plan, Carmel… Carmen?"

Carmelita looked at her watch, smirking. "You hungry?" she asked.

Neyla blinked. "…Er…"

Carmelita grinned wickedly, and stood up. "Walk with me," she said. Neyla, confused, did so, following Carmelita as she walked to the edge of the park.

"I want some ice cream," Carmelita said, "You want some ice cream? I want some ice cream. I haven't had ice cream in ten damn years…"

Neyla gave her an utterly befuddled look. The feline's confusion was furthered by the sound of an ice cream truck jingling down the road. Carmelita turned, seeing the large, plodding vehicle rolling happily down the street. She giggled childishly, and waved down the truck.

The driver, a handsome collie, smiled at her. "Well well. What would you two lovelies like?"

Carmelita, smiling warmly, turned to Neyla. "Pick whatever you want. My treat."

Neyla blinked, completely baffled by what was going on. "Ah…" she stammered, "I-I'll just take a chocolate crunch bar, if you have them."

The driver grinned. "That we do, ma'am. And you, miss?"

Carmelita cooed childishly. "I can't decide. So many good things," she said. "Oh… I'll take a ChocoTaco, a strawberry crunch, and a Klondike bar. With nuts."

The driver grinned, nodding, yelling the order back to the vendor. Carmelita smirked, and removed a small, black metal rod from her coat pocket. Neyla blinked as she gestured with it, a cane extending from the bottom of the rod with a click.

"And while we're at it," Carmelita said, her voice dropping to a more sinister tone, "I'll take the Crown Jewels as well."

The driver and vendor both flinched. The driver turned back to Carmelita, grinning weakly. "Ma'am, I really don't know what you are talking about."

Carmelita sneered. "First rule of secrecy: Never flinch when you're caught in a lie."

The driver tried to reach for a sidearm, hidden under his white vest, but Carmelita brought the cane up faster than Neyla's eye could follow, slamming it into the driver's chest. A tazer activated, electrocuting the driver. The vender managed to get out his gun and aim it, but a launching grapple claw shot from the end of Carmelita's cane, digging into the man's chest and channeling the tazer through it. The vendor collapsed.

Neyla stared at Carmelita incredulously throughout this whole exchange. "…In the ICE CREAM TRUCK!?"

Carmelita chuckled. "Consider yourself lucky. Last month was a garbage transport truck," she said, opening the door and letting the driver drop out. She then entered the car, heading into the back and kicking the vendor out through the emergency back door, and digging through one of the freezers.

Neyla shook her head, stepping into the back. "This is nuts, Carmen…"

The tigress's words died in her throat as Carmelita came back up with a distinctly crown-sized box. She opened it, revealing the opulent gold, silk, and jewels, wrapped up safe and sound inside an airtight container.

"Bloody hell," she breathed.

Carmelita grinned, and started pulling out boxes. "My car is near here," she said, "C'mon, let's go!"

Carmelita handed out several boxes to Neyla, grabbed some herself, and led her over to a bright red sports car that was parked near the truck, the license plates removed. They threw the boxes in the truck. To Neyla's surprise, however, Carmelita went back for some of the containers of ice cream.

"Do we even have time?!" Neyla yelled incredulously.

"Laurel and Hardy here aren't up yet, no one else is in the park, which is why I specifically picked this time of day to meet, and after they wake up it'll still be a while before the cops go to look for us," Carmelita said. "Besides, I haven't had ice cream in ten damn years. I wants me a goddamn Klondike bar. We'll enjoy it back at my place in Westminster."

She loaded a few boxes of popsicles and ice cream bars in the back seat, and got in the driver's seat, Neyla shaking her head and getting in on the passenger side.

She looked around the fine leather interior of the vehicle, taking note of the advanced sound-system, and smirked. "Well, at least you know class when you steal it."

Carmelita snorted. "If I'm gonna steal things from now on, I'm going to steal the best," she said, Neyla laughing. Carmelita smirked, started the car and drove off, leaving the two staggering guards disguised as ice cream vendors to recover. Carmelita drove at the speed limit, not drawing attention to herself. She pulled out casually, following every law of the road, heading out of the city.

Neyla blinked, confused. "You said Westminster."

Carmelita smirked. "The two guards were starting to wake up."

Neyla nodded, understanding. They drove out of the city and to Carmelita's little cottage, unloading the jewels and the ice cream. Neyla shook her head in amusement as Carmelita handed her a chocolate crunch bar, sitting down with her on the couch, the two of them savoring their ice cream.

Neyla laughed breathlessly. "I still can't believe it," she said, holding up one of the scepters, "The actual Crown Jewels."

Carmelita smirked, her hat on a coatrack nearby, one of the crowns resting on her head. "Think that'll make enough of a splash for me to get started with?"

Neyla snickered. "Bloody hell, love, I'd be surprised if it wasn't on the telly right now."

Carmelita laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised either…" she said, laying back on the couch and sighing.

Neyla looked at her, smirking. "What is it?" she said, although she had an idea.

Carmelita grinned excitedly, sitting up. "I just… After all that training… I never expected it to feel this good… I never expected to have this much of a RUSH…"

Neyla smiled. "Your first big heist always is," she said, mewling softly.

Carmelita grinned widely. "This is amazing. I just… I wonder if this is how Sly feels when he does a job…"

Neyla chuckled. "Wouldn't surprise me," she said, "Although he does tend to stick more to stealing from other crooks. More of a challenge."

Carmelita smirked, polishing off her Klondike bar. "Well, let's build our rep a little before we move on to challenging thefts. After all, if I'm going to get myself and whomever's with me into the Grand Rogue's Competition, I need to have something of a rep first."

Neyla smirked. "This was a pleasure, Carmen. I never really knew you had it in you," she laughed.

Carmelita chuckled. "Neither did I… Kinda disturbing, really…" she said. Neyla's smile faded a little, and Carmelita sighed. "Well, never mind. Now that I've actually pulled off a major heist, I know I can do this now."

Neyla nodded. "And Mortis?"

Carmelita scowled. "I should have guessed something was wrong when he approached me about it… But never mind. I'll figure something out when I'm better prepared to investigate." She smirked at Neyla. "And of course, every master thief is only as good as her gang…"

Neyla blinked. "You… You weren't kidding? You want me to join you? After everything I've done?"

Carmelita sighed, chuckling weakly. "…I'm lonely and desperate to the point of not being picky, all right? My only contact for the past ten years was a militant special agent who basically tore down my identity and replaced it with that of his greatest rival. I can help you get your meds, and… honestly, I just need someone to talk to. And you are far better than nothing."

Neyla blushed a little. "I… I suppose… If you don't mind having a schizophrenic with a history of Chronic Backstabbing Disorder working for you."

Carmelita grinned viciously. "Right now, Neyla, I'm pretty sure I can handle things. And with what I have to do in the next five years, it'd be better if I had help," she said, offering Neyla her hand.

Neyla stared at it for a moment. She briefly felt Arpeggio's voice tugging at the back of her mind, reminding her of her betrayal, and the slightest whisper of Clockwerk as well… She popped a pill into her mouth, and nodded, shaking Carmelita's hand.

"Sure, why not? I don't have anything left to lose anyway…"

_**=====TO BE CONTINUED…======**_


	3. The Case of the Vanishing Case

_**Scarlet Fox 3**_

_**The Case of the Vanishing Case**_

_**By Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires**_

_Just outside of London…_

Carmelita Montoya Fox, who now went by the name of infamous thief Carmen Sandiego, was not sleeping well. She tossed and turned on her bed, whimpering in her dreams.

In her nightmares, she was fighting with a creature that was part Contessa, part Agent Mortis. Only no matter what she did, she couldn't do any damage to him. Every time he caught her, he ripped a piece of her away like it was paper. Soon she was helpless, Contessa/Mortis upon her like a rabid beast, tearing her apart until there was nothing but shreds, and then haphazardly putting them back together until there was some twisted wreckage in her place, shattered remnants of what used to be Carmelita.

Carmelita screamed, shooting up in bed as she forced herself awake. Panting, she hugged herself, shivering. "Damn it…" she muttered, forcing herself not to cry, "Can't escape even in my dreams…"

"Believe me, I know how you feel," said Neyla.

Carmelita yelped, having not noticed Neyla sitting in the windowsill next to her. The tigress, still clad in her shorts and top, smiled tiredly, her ghostly white eyes and hair almost glowing in the moonlight.

Carmelita, clad only in a nightshirt and panties, calmed herself down after a moment, glancing at the clock, which read a very early hour, and sighed. "Can't sleep either?"

Neyla shook her head. "I see him constantly in my dreams… I usually can only get a half-hour at most in at a time… I end up taking a lot of naps during the day…"

Carmelita frowned. _It is really weird pitying Neyla after everything she's done to me… _she thought, _But I guess that I have to put that behind me… I can help her as best I can, and that feels good… And she's an experienced enough thief that she can help me out as well…_

"If it helps, I guess you can sleep with me," Carmelita said, "Just… just don't get any funny ideas… This is just something that usually worked with my siblings and I…"

Neyla chuckled. "Brothers and sisters?"

Carmelita nodded. "Two older brothers, one younger sister. Sometimes, when we'd have nightmares, Mama would suggest that we join one of our siblings in bed. Just… just being with someone we cared about would help stave off the nightmares… "

Neyla smiled, staring sadly out into the night. "It sounds nice… I never had any kind of a family except for Arpeggio. Closest I had to a mother figure was the few times I met the original Carmen before she was betrayed. I was so young then, I can barely remember her… She helped me set up my first homework ring…"

Carmelita sighed, and moved a little to the side on the bed, making room for Neyla. "C'mon. Let's try and get some sleep. Just one thing," she said.

Neyla blinked. "Hm?"

"You sleep with your back to me. For some reason, I don't feel comfortable showing you my back," Carmelita quipped.

Neyla gave Carmelita an incredulous look, and laughed. "Wow. You really have changed, if you're making jokes."

Carmelita just quirked an eyebrow. "Who's joking?"

Neyla chuckled weakly. "…Sorry."

Carmelita sighed, motioning for Neyla to join her. Nervously, the tigress joined the gray-furred fox in bed, Carmelita throwing the covers over them. To the tigress's embarrassment, she felt nervous about her back being exposed to Carmelita as well, but decided to just let it go for now. She flinched when she felt Carmelita's arm drape over her waist, but eventually realized that Carmelita had just fallen asleep again. Neyla sighed, and eventually drifted off to sleep as well. The nightmares still came, but they seemed lessened now for both of them, not jarring them awake...

The two women woke up around noon, blushing a little as they realized that they had started cuddling in the night. Neyla quickly got up, coughing nervously and smiling weakly. "Well… It seems your mother was a smart lady. I haven't slept that well in years."

Carmelita smiled. "Mama knew what she was doing. To put up with me, Alejandro, Diego, and Emma for so long, she had to know something, at least…"

Neyla nodded warmly, and sighed, taking one of her anti-hallucinogenic pills. "Anyway… What's on the agenda for today?"

"Getting the Crown Jewels fenced and fast. You said that you knew people that could make sure they couldn't be traced?"

Neyla nodded. "Manny 'The Doll' Manifred. Flamboyant as all get out, but he's one of the most competent fences I know. He has his own forge and can melt the gold down into something sellable but completely untraceable."

Carmelita frowned. "Name's familiar… I think I may have investigated him when I was still Carmelita…"

Neyla blinked. "'…When you were still Carmelita?'"

Carmelita blinked, and sighed. "Sorry. I still am getting used to being this new person."

Neyla frowned. _Ironsides… What the hell have you been through these past ten years? _she thought. "Hnh… I need to get some of my clothes from my place… If it's all right, I'd like to move in here. My own safehouse is as bit of a hovel compared to this…"

Carmelita nodded, moving over to the shower. "Fine, fine," she said, "Just make sure to properly hide that mini-copter I saw you use on the news reports about your attempted robbery."

Neyla snorted in amusement. "Don't worry, Carmen, I'm careful."

Carmelita and Neyla took their time getting cleaned up, carefully packing the Crown Jewels (Carmelita discreetly pocketing some of the gems as souvenirs of her first heist) and heading to a seedy part of town, making a quick stopover at a body shop Neyla recommended to get Carmelita's car repainted and replated.

As they drove to Manny Manifred's place, Carmelita bit her lip nervously. _God I hate this… I gotta know how Sly's doing, but I almost don't want to know… If he's moved on to someone else… _

After a moment, she decided to ask. "How's… How's Sly and the others doing?"

Neyla sighed, knowing this was coming. "They don't leave Paris that much anymore, unless something big catches their attention. If they're still actually there. Sly's gotten a lot more vicious… After your death, it became near impossible to track them. I think Sly didn't want any cop other than you chasing him…"

_Sly_… Carmelita thought sadly.

Neyla frowned thoughtfully. "Guru left the group and acts more as a spiritual adviser, although he sometimes comes on missions. From what I've heard, Dimitri was summarily kicked out of the Gang shortly after Sly recovered from his injuries at the hotel… They still go to him when they need his help, but last time I checked Sly still blamed him for not being able to save you."

Carmelita shook her head. "Dimitri didn't have anything to do with my 'death.' Why would Sly take it out on him?"

Neyla sighed. "Dimitri and I talk sometimes. Apparently he had to knock out Sly as he went kinda nuts after he found your 'body.' Sly couldn't be consoled after he woke up, and kicked out Dimitri on the spot…"

Carmelita winced, visibly pained. _Sly… I'm so sorry… I never wanted to hurt you like this…_

Neyla stared absently out the window, trying to remember the rest of the gang's status. "Panda King is still an active member of the gang. His daughter's become fairly nefarious by this point, and he's sticking with the Coopers in an attempt to find her. Penelope and Bentley married about a year after we encountered each other again, and Murray is still loyal to Sly and Bentley."

Carmelita blinked. "Little Jing King? That meek little girl that Tsao held captive? Nefarious?"

Neyla chuckled softly. "A lot has changed in the ten years you were out of touch," she said, "She's now one of the most in-demand mercenaries around. She's nicknamed Firefly."

Carmelita frowned. "Dios… It's like I've entered an entirely different world…" she muttered. After a long moment, she hesitantly asked, "…And Sly?"

Neyla's eyes widened as she realized what Carmelita really wanted to know. "…As far as I can tell, Sly hasn't been seeing anyone else. But like I said, the Cooper Gang has become very good at staying off the radar. It was by random chance that I encountered them at all after my release from the asylum."

Carmelita frowned, and nodded. She was still uncertain, and more worried about Sly more than ever, but she couldn't do anything about it now.

They pulled into the city, Neyla guiding Carmelita through a series of dark, damp roads to the back of a pawn shop, the doors painted a shocking neon rainbow of colors. Neyla got out of the car and knocked on the door in an odd pattern, a slat on the door opening as a pair of glitter-lined eyes peered out. Neyla whispered a password, and quickly introduced Carmelita, making sure to use her current identity of 'Carmen.' The door opened, revealing a rather effeminate male peacock, the striking, elegant blue feathers decked with glitter, a casual lavender shirt over and cerulean pair of shorts the bird's only clothes. After a moment, of staring at Carmelita, he nodded and motioned for her to step forward. She got out of the car, keeping her eyes covered by her hat. After a few steps, he held out his wing.

Carmelita frowned. Neyla smiled and nodded. "It's all right. Manny doesn't like anyone coming into this part of his shop unless it's for a date."

"And no offense, ladies, but you're both a little too stacked for my taste. 'Specially you, honey," Manny lilted in an effeminate voice as he looked over Carmelita's ample curves, evident even with the red trenchcoat.

Carmelita blushed, annoyed. "Let's just get this stuff unloaded. I'm not comfortable out in the open with loot still on me," she snapped.

"Sounds like you got some interesting rocks to hock, ladies," Manny lilted, sashaying out to Carmelita, "How hot are we talking?"

Neyla grinned. "Remember the theft of the Crown Jewels last night?"

Manny blinked. "Bloody hell, that was you girls?" he said, his voice dropping an octave and taking on a nervous timber, "How in the world did you pull that off? Not even the Cooper Gang or Lupin the Third and his crew could get them!"

Carmelita just smirked. "I have… insider information. I just took advantage of it," she said, opening the trunk of her car and unloading one of the boxes. She held it open for Manny, the peacock's beak dropping open as he stared at the glittering crown inside of it. Solid, 24-karat gold, pure silk, real Feral fur, and gemstones of the highest quality glittered in the morning light, the peacock dumbstruck.

"It's real… Bloody hell it's real…" Manny said, gently taking the crown out of the box, gently running his feathers over it. "Solid gold… Oh my word… I thought these were rubies but they're actually blood diamonds… And this silk, MMM. I may just keep it for myself."

Manny looked up at Carmelita, his eyes wide. "And you got all of them?"

Carmelita nodded, removing a box that held a scepter in it and handing it over to Manny. "Most of them. The throne was on a different truck than the one we raided."

Manny didn't react for a moment, staring in awe at the shimmering scepter. When he realized what Carmelita had said, he blinked. "Wait, what? What truck?"

Neyla shook her head. "Somehow she knew that the Jewels in the Tower of London were fake. They're actually kept on a series of alternating trucks when not in use, and she knew which one it was this month."

Manny stared at Carmelita, as if seeing her for the first time. He gave her a wary look. "…Neyla said your name was Carmen, right?"

Carmelita just nodded.

Manny gulped. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Carmen Sandiego, would it?"

Carmelita smirked, and nodded, making sure her eyes remained hidden. Manny staggered. "Incredible… My Dad did a lot of business with her… I thought they were just stories, especially after Mom first started buying me the games… But you're real… Dad… Dad said you were dead. That you were betrayed."

Carmelita just shrugged, leaning on her car. "Difficulties arose, were dealt with, and overcome. I felt it necessary to go into hiding, make sure that the last of the traitors were either dead or no longer interested in looking for me."

Manny shook his head. "Aren't you worried they'll come after you, again? Contessa's still alive, and no one knows what happened to Sir Vile after the Kneemoi incident."

"I'll deal with Sir Vile if that knight errant shows his head again," Carmelita said. She then scowled bitterly, anger boiling over inside her. "And as for Contessa… I'll deal with her when I'm good and ready, one way or another. Neyla here is just the first. I'm restarting VILE and retaking my place at the top."

Neyla blinked, stunned by this. _Whoa, wait a moment…_ "Carmen, are you serious?"

Carmelita cursed herself for losing her temper, forced herself to calm down using mental relaxation techniques she had been taught, and nodded. "Dead serious. I've been out of action for too long. I need to remind this world who the Queen of Crime is," she said. She looked up and started to continue, but her words died in her throat as she looked at Manny. She snickered. Manny was now wearing the crown and idly twirling the scepter.

Neyla laughed, shaking her head. Manny grinned sheepishly. "Too much?" he asked.

Neyla nodded. "You're enough of a queen as it is, love. You don't need a crown."

Manny chuckled, and took off the crown, staring at it. "Still… If you are going for the top again, I'd be honored to do business with you whenever you like. Normally I'd haggle a little with you, but for loot of this quality, from someone of your fame… I don't know if I can give you everything loot of this caliber deserves, though…"

"Give us what you can, so we can have capital to start with," Carmelita said.

Manny nodded. "Just put the boxes inside the door. No bootprints on my rug, though, I just had it shampooed," he said, going inside to his register.

As Carmelita and Neyla unloaded the boxes, Neyla gave Carmelita a concerned look. "You okay, Carmen? You looked like you were about to blow there for a second…"

Carmelita shook her head. "Do you have any idea what Contessa did to me? How she violated me? I… I barely knew who I was anymore. I was ready to give in, do whatever she wanted… If Sly had just been a second slower, I would have…"

Carmelita paused, clutching her chest and closing her eyes tightly, tears flowing down her face. Neyla shook her head.

"I… I know this will just make you mad," Neyla said, "But I swear I didn't know what she was going to do to you. Arpeggio limited my contact with her as much as possible. Only he and Jean Bison ever stayed with her for more than a few moments at a time…"

Carmelita shook her head, chuckling weakly. "God… That damn spider… And now I'm Carmen Sandiego, and I get told that Contessa was one of Carmen's allies… Everything I've experienced learning how to live Carmen's life… I feel like I've been violated all over again by her…"

Neyla shivered, remembering Arpeggio's dire warnings about never being alone with Contessa. The guilt welled up in her all over again, the memories of good times with Arpeggio as he taught her how to be a master thief, the look of betrayal on his face as he stared into Clock-La's eyes, just before she bit him in half…

_THIS POWER WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE YOURS!_

Neyla quickly swallowed one of her anti-psychotic medications and put an arm around Carmelita's shoulders, gently hugging her until she was under control again. Carmelita smiled gratefully at Neyla and picked up the last of the boxes.

Manny, who had come back during Carmelita's breakdown, stared at them. "Something wrong?"

Carmelita coughed, wiping her eyes. "Just… bad memories," she said, noticing the large wad of cash in Manny's hand. _Whoa…_ "That for us?" she asked.

Manny nodded. "Best I could do. Even with the current rich hunk I'm dating I've had to pinch pennies here and there, especially in dealing with clients."

_Dios… That's more than I made in THREE YEARS as a cop! _Carmelita thought, keeping her face even. "It'll do," she said, her voice even, setting the last of the boxes inside.

Manny handed over the cash, and looked over the boxes, whistling appreciatively. "I gotta get this slagged and reforged fast… I already had the cops over, but you never know when they'll decide to double-check."

Neyla smiled. "I'm sure you'll do fine," she said, hugging Manny and trading gentle pecks on the cheek with the peacock. Carmelita and Neyla got back in the car, Carmelita smirking and waving to Manny.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Manny," Carmelita said as she drove off, "See you next crime."

Manny grinned, flourishing his elegant tail fully. "I certainly hope so."

Carmelita drove the two of them to a café near the zoo, sitting down and ordering tea for the two of them. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…" Carmelita said as she sipped her tea, a pleasant Earl Grey with a hint of lemon in it.

Neyla quirked an eyebrow curiously. "Ask away."

"What's with the little orange sparklies that appear in certain areas?" she asked, feeling rather silly.

Neyla snickered. "I see them as lavender. Basically, any master-level thief can perceive anything that might help them. Thin ledges to sneak across, entrances to hidden passages, tables to hide under… The 'sparklies' as you call them are basically a sign that you've become good enough to recognize anything that might help you as a thief."

Carmelita nodded. "Hnh. It was a little disconcerting at first when I started noticing them, and Mortis never offered me an explanation."

Neyla rolled her eyes. "Figures. He always struck me as a hardass. So what's next, then?"

Carmelita sipped her tea. "Recruitment. Until we have enough loot and enough credible crooks to our name to say that we've re-established VILE, we're going to have to move pretty fast. I have an idea of what loot to go after next, but we have some time before it's available and we need a specialist besides."

Neyla frowned. "A specialist? In what?"

"Computer technology," Carmelita said, idly munching a scone, "I was taught some hacking ability, but just enough to get into the FBI and CIA systems, which is kiddy grade compared to some of what's most likely out there today."

Neyla nodded. "Sounds about right."

Carmelita sipped her tea. "Who's the best computer technician out there today?"

"Bentley Cooper," Neyla said.

Carmelita blinked. "Bentley's taken Sly's last name as his own?"

Neyla nodded, rolling her eyes. "There was a well documented instance in China about a year after your 'death' involving the Cooper Gang. They apparently raided and robbed blind a bunch of mountain bandits, former minions of General Tsao, that had taken up residence in what was supposedly the birthplace of the ancient historical figure Liu Bei, who was a well-respected leader during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Sly, Bentley, and Murray apparently swore a blood oath of brotherhood there, in the peach garden where Liu Bei was supposed to have sworn a similar oath of brotherhood with the legendary warriors Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. And I mean a literal blood oath, they still have a scar on their hands from the little ceremony they did. I guess they wanted to reinforce the bond they already held."

Carmelita chuckled softly. "They always did have a good friendship with each other… I could tell that from the brief time I spent with them during the KLAAW Gang mess…"

Neyla's eyes widened. "Don't tell me that you…"

Carmelita chuckled. "For a few weeks, just long enough to get away from you, I was unofficially a member of the Cooper Gang… It was… a strange time…"

Neyla purred softly, her tail swishing back and forth. "Anyway, you probably still want to avoid anyone who might be able to see through your new appearance."

Carmelita nodded. "I'm not ready to face them yet…"

Neyla mewled sadly and said, "Anyway… Bentley's the best, but there is one who can probably match him. The Tech Injun."

Carmelita blinked. "The Tech Engine?"

Neyla shook her head. "Injun. Like the derogatory term generally used for Native Americans. It's what the media generally calls her, although she hates the nickname."

Carmelita shook her head. "Never heard of her."

"I'm not surprised," Neyla said, "She's still fairly new. She only surfaced in the past few years, while you were… away. Her real name is Kaliska Morning Cloud, a member of a Coyote tribe in the States, although she barely acknowledges her heritage beyond the occasional prayer. I've helped her out a couple times, taught her some physical skills to match her tech skills."

Carmelita frowned. "How good is she?"

Neyla snickered. "She almost managed to break into the Cooper Vault security programs, and was within spitting distance of finding out its current location. Word on the grapevine is that Bentley and Penelope had to overhaul the entire electronic part of the system just to counteract her."

Carmelita nodded. "You know how to find her?"

"It's tricky, as she's a little skittish with people she doesn't know. But there are ways to get her trust," Neyla said, "I can show you how to get in contact with her."

"Do it," Carmelita said, "If she's good enough to challenge Bentley, then I want her for VILE."

Neyla chuckled. "Really getting into the ambition part of being a crook, aren't you?"

Carmelita smirked. "Maybe. Maybe I just want to cover my bases when I start looking at Mortis a little closer."

Neyla nodded. "Either way, she's probably the best choice out there."

They finished their snack, Neyla taking Carmelita to an Internet café. She sat down at a computer. "How good are you at coding?"

Carmelita frowned. "I was taught enough to hack into most major law enforcement databases," she said, keeping her voice low, "But I don't see what this has to do with…"

"Kaliska only responds to challenges," Neyla interrupted, "She'll only acknowledge you if you send her a virus that causes her to actually have to focus on it to get it out of her personal computer. She also recognizes signature styles of virus, so she'll know what's coming is from me."

Carmelita frowned. "I'll take your word for it."

Neyla nodded, and began typing. Carmelita watched, taking in every single thing Neyla did, her gaze going back and forth from Neyla's hand to the screen as she watched the virus program take shape. A manager of the café came to see what they were doing, but Carmelita flashed him an icy stare that frightened him off. After a few minutes, Neyla was finished.

"There," she said.

"What will that do?" Carmelita asked, staring at the program Neyla had created.

"It'll rearrange the files on her computer at random, transferring them from folder to folder at random intervals. Annoying, but otherwise harmless. It's how I contacted her the first time," Neyla said, grinning.

Carmelita nodded, impressed. "And you created it from scratch? No notes to help you remember?"

Neyla shrugged. "I have a good memory. Blessing and a curse it is," she said.

"Hnh," Carmelita said, as Neyla sent the virus in an e-mail attachment. "Now what?" she asked.

Neyla shrugged. "We wait. And we come back here tomorrow," she said, getting up to leave.

Carmelita frowned. She hated waiting, but over her ten years of training, she had learned to do so.

The two women walked off, Carmelita idly picking the pocket of a policeman as she walked by. Neyla snickered. Carmelita blinked, and chuckled. "Hm? Oh, it's just that remember that guy from a case we worked on together. Jerk spent half the time ogling me, and grabbed my butt a couple times."

Neyla grinned as Carmelita took the money and credit cards out of the man's wallet, throwing the wallet in the trash after glancing through the pictures, finding no family photos. "I trust he paid for it suitably?"

Carmelita grinned playfully. "Unfortunately, I could do nothing, as I was mindful of remaining professional throughout the case. The strangest thing happened, though. One day he showed up at the hospital covered in bruises distinctly shaped like the letter 'C.' To this day remains deathly afraid of the sound of a cane tapping on the ground."

Neyla laughed.

"So what now?" Carmelita said.

Neyla shrugged. "Whatever you like," she said, "Being a thief sometimes involves a lot of waiting between capers. Especially if you're the type that likes a challenge, like I am."

Carmelita sighed. "Is boredom a part of being a thief?"

Neyla chuckled. "Afraid so. The key is patience. Haven't you ever done stakeouts?"

"Yes. Hated those as well," Carmelita grumbled.

Neyla laughed. "Why am I not surprised?"

Carmelita sighed. "What I also hate is how similar being a thief is to being a cop. Scouting out an area for vulnerable points, studying security measures, stakeouts to verify information…"

Neyla smiled sadly. "It's depressing, isn't it? That's part of why I was able to infiltrate Interpol so well. I was easily able to adapt my skills as a thief to police work." Neyla gained a thoughtful look. "That's also probably why they let Sly pretending to be an amnesiac cop go for so long. All that talent on the side of the law…"

Carmelita lowered her head, frowning. Neyla flinched. "Sorry love… Are you sure you don't want to see him?"

Carmelita shook her head. "No… No, not yet… Not until I know more about why Mortis wanted me to become Carmen…"

Neyla frowned. "You have doubts that the contest is the reason?"

Carmelita nodded. "A lot of his reasoning doesn't add up."

Neyla's eyes widened. "And that's why you want the Tech Injun."

Carmelita nods. "I want someone skilled enough to help me access his records. But not yet… I have smaller prey in mind…"

Neyla frowned. "Like what?"

Carmelita pointed to a TV display in an electronics store that several people on the street were watching. Neyla nearly gagged when she saw the news report playing.

"In national news," said the reporter, "Noted billionaire Robert Faulkun is arriving in London today. It's believed that he's transporting official documents related to his military contracts in the Middle East, however he insists that he's merely transferring funds between banks and was requested to come in person to do it."

Neyla blinked. "Good lord, luv. You certainly aren't starting out small."

Carmelita just smirked. "I've investigated this scumbag before. If nothing's changed over the past decade, then Faulkun is still connected to the Russian Mafia. More likely he's transporting documents confirming Mafia holdings in the Middle East. They've been trying to gain control of oil and weapon supplies there for years when I went under. If I'm right, and those are documents confirming holdings, we can ransom them back and then once we've collected our payout, discreetly drop the briefcase off with the proper authorities. If he is just transporting funds like he said… Well, it's some spending money for us."

Neyla whistled. "Ambitious… The guy's bound to have that briefcase protected with some major security systems."

"Which is why we need Kaliska," Carmelita said.

Neyla nodded. "So, Carmen. You going to build up an army, like VILE was last time?"

Carmelita shook her head. "No. That's what did in my predecessor. Too many to look out for. Too many knives aimed at her back to counter them all. At best, the group will consist of seven. You, me, Kaliska, one I'm not happy about, and three others that I want to keep to myself at the moment…"

Neyla frowned. "'One you're not happy about…'" she started, before scowling, "Oh bloody hell, you're going to recruit Contessa? After what she's done to you?"

Carmelita shivered. "Part of my training involved mental exercises. I'm hoping that will be enough to resist her mind control. Also, while I didn't know that they were the same person at the time, Contessa was the original Carmen's apprentice, devoted to an almost fanatical level. With luck that devotion will have remained to this day."

"That's a lot of luck, luv," Neyla said, frowning.

"I know. But to fully establish myself as Carmen, I need Contessa," Carmelita said.

"…And if things go bad?" Neyla asked, hesitating.

"Then she dies," Carmelita said, her expression hard.

Neyla frowned deeply, but nodded, understanding. She knew full well how frightening Contessa could be. "All right then… As for re-establishing VILE, what are your plans there? Going for a big army, like Carmen had last time?"

Carmelita shook her head. "No. That's what killed the original Carmen. Too many people, too many agendas, too many knives aimed at her back for her to parry them all. I want to keep the group at no more than seven, and I know who I want to fill out all the roles. You, me, Contessa, Kaliska, a demolitions specialist, a mystic specialist, and a vehicle specialist. I know who I want for the latter three, but like I said I'm keeping their names to myself until I can be sure of a way to secure their loyalty."

Neyla nodded, still worried. "Sounds like you've got a plan."

Carmelita shrugged. "It's something, at least…"

For the rest of the day, Carmelita and Neyla wandered about, window-shopping and simply enjoying the day. After a good night's rest, they came back to the same internet cafe and checked Neyla's account.

The only thing in the text was a set of coordinates and a short message. "You're getting better, Neyla. See you in two hours."

Neyla smiled. "Meeting's set," she said.

Carmelita stared at the coordinates. "That's in Westminster," she said, "Near the Abbey."

Neyla nodded. "Good eye."

Carmelita frowned. "Why there, though?"

"Cops rarely go there. The Cooper Gang did a cleanup of the area about a year ago when an artifact belonging to one of Sly's ancestors was stolen, which hurt one of Bentley's only living relatives in the process. Needless to say, the two of them took offense to that, moved in with their crew, and basically rolled over all the gangs in the area. It's been fairly safe ever since, so the cops don't feel any need to visit there on a steady basis. Makes it perfect for a discreet meeting," Neyla said.

Carmelita hmmed thoughtfully, and nodded. "Okay then, let's go."

The two of them drove over to the scheduled meeting place, arriving a few minutes early. They sat on a bench, chatting casually. After a few minutes, the two of them noticed a small, chubby-looking coyote in a brown duster sitting on the ground nearby, typing away on a computer.

"You're late," Neyla said.

The coyote turned, revealing her cloudy gray eyes. "I wanted to be sure you weren't followed. That hidden message you put in that viral code said you had a partner now, I wanted to be sure about her first."

"Are you?" Carmelita asked.

"...Not completely," Kaliska said, "But enough to work with you."

"I can settle for that," Carmelita said, "We can work on getting the rest of your confidence later."

Kaliska nodded, sipping the coffee she had with her. "So who are you, anyway?"

"Carmen Sandiego," Carmelita said.

Kaliska stared at her incredulously. "...You're kidding," she said after a moment.

Carmelita rolled her eyes. "I know how it sounds, but I'm the real deal. I'm back. And to re-establish VILE, I need the best. That means you."

Kaliska quirked an eyebrow. She was pleased at the compliment, but still had her doubts. "I heard that Carmen was actually real... Also heard that she died."

"Complications arose, were dealt with, and subsequently overcome," Carmelita said, "Details later, IF it turns out you're useful enough to me."

"Useful enough to you," Kaliska deadpanned, giving her an amused look.

Carmelita just gave her a hard stare. "That's right. Useful to ME," she said, falling into the role she was playing completely. "Thanks to the bastards that betrayed me, I've been out of the game WAY too long. I need to re-establish my name. And since a thief is only as good as the gang supporting her, I need the best. Are you, or are you not, the best hacker out there? Or maybe I should look up Bentley Cooper?"

_Little harsh, love, _Neyla thought, keeping her expression neutral. But she had to admit it was a good tactic. The best way to get someone to try and prove themselves is insult their ego.

Kaliska scowled, but Carmelita could tell that she wasn't completely taking the bait. The coyote sipped her coffee again and said, "Suppose I say yes. What's our first heist going to be?"

"A briefcase recently brought to this country by Robert Faulkun. I want to know what's in it, and what it's worth to him to get it back safe and sound," Carmelita said.

Kaliska's eyes widened. "Damn. When you go for something, you go big."

Carmelita nodded. "I do have an overall plan. But I need several huge heists under my belt before I can even come close to getting them started."

Kaliska stroked her chin idly. "It's gonna be rough... Faulkun's estate is bound to have the most advanced security available today. I know that Neyla's pretty damn good and the best con artist out there, and I THINK I can handle a lot of the electronics, but are you sure you can get through his guards and traps?"

"You just leave the fieldwork to me," Carmelita said.

Kaliska stared at her for a moment, and chuckled. "All right, you caught my interest. I'll help you out. If nothing else, it should be interesting to see if you can live up to that name of yours."

Carmelita nodded, and headed out. "Meet us here tomorrow evening," she said, "Get whatever intel you can on the security Faulkun has set up. We'll bring you to the estate."

Carmelita began to walk out. Neyla followed, saying her goodbyes to Kaliska. "You sure you're up for this, love?" Neyla asked, "Two major heists this close together can take their toll even on the best."

Carmelita sighed. "No time. I don't know how long Faulkun's gonna be here for," she said, "so if we don't get it soon, we won't get it at all."

Neyla frowned. "...Why are you really after those documents?"

Carmelita scowled. "In some of the records I took, Robert Faulkun was listed as a name funding the project training me to be Carmen."

Neyla nodded, suddenly understanding. "You're looking for a connection to Mortis..."

Carmelita nodded. "Anything at all might help. And if nothing else, we might be able to blackmail him for some extra money."

Neyla grinned somewhat sadly. "Wow, love. You really are thinking like a thief now, aren't you?"

Carmelita just snorted, acknowledging the irony but saying nothing else otherwise. "Let's go. We need to secure a few things first."

Neyla nodded, her manner becoming businesslike as she took another of her anti-psychotic meds. "Such as?"

"Transport," she said, "The car we have now is too distinctive."

"Fair enough. What do you suggest?" Neyla asked.

"A van," Carmelita said, "Nothing like the Cooper Van, something we can ditch easily. It'll serve as a mobile command for Kaliska to work in, and it's something that you and I can jump in and out of."

Neyla nodded. It was a good idea. "What's my role?"

"Muscle," Carmelita said, "I'll need you play bodyguard and take out guards that get too close. No kills, though. Try to run it like a Cooper operation. Lots of bruises and broken bones, but everyone still alive otherwise."

Neyla nodded. She had never really understood why the Coopers never went for the kill, but she respected their ability to pull it off. (Although she had heard rumors of an operation they did in Australia a few years back that was extraordinarily vicious...)

Carmelita looked thoughtful. "I want to scout the perimeter of the Faulkun estate. Think we can manage that?"

Neyla nodded. "If we stay far enough away," she said, "yes. Every little bit of intel helps."

Carmelita nodded, and tossed her the keys. "Take me there," she said.

Neyla was a little surprised, but did as she was asked, driving their car over to the estate of the multi-millionare. They parked on a ridge overlooking the facility, giving them a good view down into it.

Carmelita frowned when she saw it. "I said the estate, not Fort Sumter."

Neyla chuckled. "That's the estate, luv," Neyla said, looking down at the heavily fortified mansion.

Carmelita shook her head, and pulled out a set of binoculars. "We really need some of those binocular things the Coopers use..." she muttered, focusing the images as best she could.

"Binocucoms? I know where to get some," Neyla said, nodding.

Carmelita looked at her, surprised. Neyla just shrugged. "A few years back, Bentley got the design patented and put it on the open market. Law enforcement ate it up. What NOBODY except a handful of the people in our 'lifestyle' knew is that Bentley was hoping they'd go for it that much. He listens in to Binocucom chatter all the time. It helps the Cooper Gang keep twenty steps ahead of the cops, and gives Bentley a little extra spending cash."

Carmelita grinned. "Brilliant. Figures the turtle would come up with a scam like that," she said, looking over the security measures on the outskirts of the estate.

Security guard dobermans and (bizarrely) feral dobermans patrolled the grounds of the fence, each armed with automatic rifles. "That's weird," Camrelita said softly, "The guards all have fully automatic rifles... Should be illegal outside of military use in this country... Plus, they're all dobermans and have feral dobermans partners..."

"Damn," Neyla cursed, "That means they've been trained not to feel unnerved by working with their feral cousins. These won't be easy to trick like most guards would be..."

Carmelita just smirked. "I'll find a way..." she said, looking over the fence. One guard accidentally brushed against it, and flinched back, as his uniform sparking slightly. "Fence is electrified. Ten, twenty feet high..."

Neyla stroked her chin thoughtfully. "The generator will probably be close, but disguised... We'll need to take it out, but quietly..."

"We'll have Kaliska look into that," Carmelita said, continuing to look over the defenses of the estate. She took notice of each security camera, mentally making note of them and their location. She saw laser sensors tracing out random paths on the ground. "Laser sensors. Lots of them..."

"Damn..." Neyla muttered, "They look like R90 trackers. If one locks onto you, they all will. And that's when the gatling guns go off."

Carmelita wasn't worried though. She had a bit of a trump card for the lasers. But she wasn't about to reveal it yet. A girl has to have SOME secrets, afterall.

After a moment's more of looking, Carmelita took note of the guard towers dotting the fence, as well as a heliport in the back.

Which had no helicopter in it at the moment.

"Shit," Carmelita said, "GO!"

"What?" Neyla asked, startled.

"Get us out of here," Carmelita snapped. "There's a chopper port here, and the chopper isn't. I don't want to take the chance that it's an air scout."

Neyla nodded, and drove the car off. Carmelita frowned, closing her eyes and doing calculations in her head.

"We still good for this?" Neyla asked.

Carmelita nodded after a moment. "That level of security, he either has something important in there or he's become REALLY paranoid about his money. We just need more intel from Kaliska."

Neyla sighed. "Meantime, we should pick up the van and the Binocucoms. I should I can remove Bentley's little 'extra additions' from the design, so we can use it without him listening in. I probably should get you a paraglider, too."

Carmelita nodded. "We don't need anything fancy for the van, like I said. Let's just swipe something old we can use and discard," she said, looking around, "Like that."

Neyla turned to where Carmelita was pointing, pulling their car over. It was a simple, black van parked in a church. It looked like it was used for transporting church goers to various religious events. Neyla nodded, approving. "We'll need to hide it, get it repainted, but it'll work for a one job use."

Carmelita hopped out of the car. "Where's the nearest cooperative body shop?"

"A few blocks down from here. Crown Auto," Neyla said.

"Meet me back at the house," Carmelita said, "I won't be long." She went over to pick the lock on the chain keeping the fence gate together, opened the gates. As she suspected, there was next to no security save for the locks. After all, who would break into a church parking lot?

As Neyla drove off, Carmelita went over to the van, and checked each door to see if it was unlocked. To her surprise, it was. She frowned, worried that this might be a bait car, and began examining the insides of the car, checking for cameras, disassembling the mirror, checking behind panels, tearing the cloth on the ceiling, every place she knew cameras were usually put in bait vehicles. She didn't find any cameras, but she still looked around outside anyway, checking for cars that may be lurking around, one hand in her pocket, ready to use her tazer cane if need be.

There was nothing.

She frowned again. _This is too easy. Either I'm being set up, or the people running this church are depressingly naïve. _

Carmelita returned to the van. On a whim, flipped down the sun visor, a set of spare keys, most likely to the church as well as the van, fell out.

_Naïve, _Carmelita thought, shaking her head. She through out all the personal effects she found in the van, and drove it off. She found the body shop easily enough, and they were more than willing to do a quick repaint of the van and remove the plates as well. After paying the bodyshop workers, she went back to the house, where Neyla was waiting for her, sitting on the front porch.

She smiled, her ghostly white eyes glowing in the darkness. "Everything go okay then?"

Carmelita nodded. "No trouble. I was worried this was a bait car at first, but I was wrong."

Neyla snickered. "Cops around here aren't that smart," she said.

Carmelita smirked. "Let's get some rest. We'll loot that guy's place tomorrow."

_The next night..._

Neyla and Carmelita pulled up near the abbey, meeting up with Kaliska. The coyote had ditched her coat for more mission-appropriate attire, dark jeans and t-shirt with a dark brown vest. She wore a a small headband with a single feather, a bag containing her computer and what looked like several high tech devices on her shoulder.

"You ready to go?" Neyla called.

Kaliska nodded. "I managed to get a layout of the security in the building," she said, chuckling a little at the transport. "Nice van," she said.

"We'll only need it for tonight," Carmelita said, "Get in and let's go."

Kaliska hopped into the back. Carmelita glanced briefly at her attire and said, "Nice headband."

"My mother's. My one concession to my culture," she said, smirking.

Carmelita nodded. "We did a preliminary recon on the place from afar. You get anything on the security systems?"

"I think I got everything we need on it," Kaliska said, "His computer security isn't as tight as it should be."

"What about the heliport? Is it air security?" Carmelita asked.

"No," Kaliska said, "He uses it for clients. And right now, he's not even in. From his records, he's meeting someone to transfer the case to. In his personal journals he was griping about the clients wanting him to personally take them to the mansion."

Carmelita frowned. "How much time do we have?"

"Three hours," Kaliska said, quirking her eyebrows in amusement. "More than enough time if you're who you say you are."

Carmelita and Neyla just traded smirks.

The van drove to the outskirts of the estate, parking behind a small grove of trees. Once they were parked, Kaliska opened her laptop and called up an image of the estate. "All right, here's what we got. The guards go on regular patrols along the outskirts of the fence, and have dogs trained to react to any scent they're not accustomed to. Each one is armed with the latest in fully automatic rifles normally reserved for the military as well as five concussion grenades each. The fence itself is electrified, so climbing over's a no go until we can disable the generator."

"Which is... where?" Neyla asked.

"Patience, Ghosteyes, I'm getting to that," Kaliska said, smirking. Neyla frowned, but didn't say anything, as she was long since used to the nickname. Kaliska typed again, and said, "I did a little tracking of the power routes, and found there's actually two places that provide power to the various fence, and separate generators for each layer of defense, which unfortunately I wasn't able to crack the locations of yet. Time constraints and all that. According to incident reports, the fence generators are known to fail from time to time, hence the separate defenses and generators for those defenses. So if we time it right, we might be able to make it seem like a regular power failure for the fence. "

Neyla grinned. "Clever," she said, "What's the play?"

Kaliska typed at her computer, the chubby coyote shaking her head. "Neyla and I will have to take to the field. If we can synchronize the shortout, we can give Carmen time to get over the fence. The lasers, which are unfortunately attached to high yield miniguns, will be tricky... you'd have to be an incredible acrobat to get by them."

"The Coopers aren't the only agile ones out there," Carmelita said, "Let me deal with the lasers. My main concern is the security cameras right now."

Kaliska smiled. "I can hack those easy. The guards will see what I want them to see, but I can use them to keep track of your movements, give tech help where needed."

Carmelita nodded. "Good. Let's get this started," she said, tossing Kaliska a Binocucom. When Kaliska seemed reluctant, she said, "Don't worry. We took out Bentley's little additions to it. He won't be able to get anything from us."

Kaliska grinned. "It's not that," she said, "It's just that I already have my own."

Neyla chuckled, taking back the extra Binocucom as Kaliska gave her frequency. "We'll synch up in the field," Neyla said.

Carmelita nodded. "Let's go," she said.

The three of them exited the van, and headed out. Kaliska showed the map, she and Neyla heading out for the two power houses, disguised by a fairly obvious patch of bushes and an old, out of place barn.

Neyla looked around from her hiding spot, checking for guards, and went over to the patch of bushes. She opened the panel, looking at the wires. She picked up her Bincocucom, contacting Kaliska.

"You there yet?" she asked.

"Gimmie a minute," Kaliska huffed, "I'm not quite as in-shape as you two." Her house was a little farther away, but she managed to get there. Slowly prying open the door, she went in and set her computer up near the power box.

"Okay, Neyla, I'm set up. Sorry about taking so long, I'm not that used to field work," she said.

Neyla chuckled. "Better get used to it, if you want to join us."

"I haven't decided that yet," Kaliska huffed. "Now. On my cue, pull out the blue and orange wires and then quickly put them back in. The surge from the quick drain and restart will temporarily short out the fence for Carmen."

Neyla nodded. "By your leave, love."

"Three... two... one..." Kaliska said. She and Neyla quickly yanked out the wires and put them back. The boxes sparked, both women feeling a surge of electricity make their fur stand on end.

Back near the fence, hidden in a grove of trees, was Carmelita, her hat pulled down over her head as she hid in a nearby flower bush. She scanned the area in front of her carefully with her Binocucom, careful not to let the lenses reflect the light. She spotted a trail of orange sparkles leading up a pole near a guard tower, where one of the miniguns were mounted. It was connected to the fence, so it was electrified. But as she watched, a guard brushed by it. He looked surprised when he didn't get a jolt, and Carmelita took that as her cue. She knocked him out with her cane's tazer, doing the same with his guard dog. After removing the firing pin from his rifle, she climbed up the pipe, clambering into the guard-house and smashing the gatling gun.

As an afterthought, she climbed up and got on top of the guard tower. She focused, seeing the orange sparkles along the radio cables that connected the guard towers to each other, coordinating the guns. Taking a deep breath, she leaped out and landed with perfect balance along the cables, dashing steadily along them to each guardhouse, smashing the miniguns and eliminating a potential threat. She looked around again, gauging whether or not it'd be safe to try and go in through the ground floor.

After a moment of watching the lasers move about, many times in ways even she couldn't predict, she shook her head. "Gotta find another way," she said to herself, "The guns are disabled but the alarms should still be up." She looked around, spotting power lines leading to the towers. It was too far even for her amazing jumping ability, and the lines were electrified, but there were regulator boxes with pointed tips at regular intervals. If she used that technique...

Taking a deep breath, she leaped off of the guard tower, mega double jumping and coming to a sure-footed landing on the point. _Good. Nice to know that I can actually learn these moves..._

Neyla and Kaliska, who were making their way towards the mansion grounds and watching her through the Binocucoms, stared in amazement.

"How... That's... The balance needed to land on that small a point and not falter..." Kaliska stammered.

_That was Sly's Spire Jump technique, no question, _Neyla thought, _But even I can't do that, maintain my balance on a point for that long. How did she learn it_?

Carmelita, more confident now, spire jumped from power box to power box, making her way to the roof. She had to duck down briefly and stay hidden, as there was a nearby guard patrolling that part of the roof. She snuck up behind him, noting a shine coming from his pocket. Discreetly relieving him of his spare change and the silver pen he had, she put her hand around his mouth to muffle his cries and used her tazer cane on him, sending him toppling to the ground.

She pulled out her Binocucom again. "Kaliska, I'm at a vent leading inside. You got a map of the interior?"

Kaliska stared for a moment from her hiding place before pulling out her laptop, calling up the map she had. "Um... right. Okay, the briefcase is being kept in his office. But there's guards and laser grids all the way there. The vent you're at to leads to a storage closet. From there the gauntlet begins."

Carmelita nodded. "I can handle it," she said.

"You sure, Carmen?" Kaliska asked, "Even the Coopers have had trouble getting by the traps in this place."

Carmelita just smirked, her expression absolutely confident. "Trust me," she said. She opened the vent, and crawled in, making her way through the tight-fitting space and coming out inside the closet. She shook out her hat, straightening out the crumpled edges, and putting back on. She peered out the door, looking through to scan the area.

She spotted two armed guards, both with automatic rifles and flashlights, both facing each other. She frowned. It be too risky to take them out. She'd have to do it one at a time, and she was worried about the noise.

As if confirming her fears, Kaliska chimed in over the Binocucom, quietly adding, "Be very careful in this hallway. I did some searching and I found out that he designed the halls to his office, vault, and other important areas to deliberately have heavy acoustics. You won't be able to get into a fight here without alerting every guard in the house."

Carmelita did a quick scan, seeing a nearby table, the vent shaft she had crawled out of hanging just low enough for her to walk on top of if she crouched down. "Don't worry, Kaliska," Carmelita said. "If I can't go through, I'll just go around."

She hopped up onto the table, and used it as a platform to double-jump up to the vent shaft. Crouching down, she began running across it, bypassing the first guard station and laser web easily. The vent shaft diverged as she approached the next guard station, going in two directions.

"Kaliska?" she asked, pulling out her Binocucom again. "Where does this hallway go?"

"Left fork to the vault, right fork to the main entrance," Kaliska said. "Why?"

Carmelita smirked. "That could actually be a quicker way out for us. The van is the same direction of that position, and I noticed that there aren't any lasers along that path..."

Kaliska hesitated. "The guard presence is heavier there..."

Neyla grinned inwardly as she viewed the map Kaliska was broadcasting over the Binocucom, "I'm actually near that location. I could distract them and lead some of the guards away."

Kaliska shook her head. "I'd grab the briefcase first. We tag the vault guards, the whole house goes on alert. Also, Neyla, I'm sure you're a good fighter, but even that steel-lined whip of yours won't be much good against a small army of guns. I'll move closer to your location, set up a holographic waypoint. Once Carmen has the briefcase and is on her way to the vault, lead the guards to me. I'm no demolitions expert like Bentley, Panda King, or Firefly, but I do have some toys that'll put those guards out of the game."

"No kills," Carmelita said, "These guys are just doing their jobs."

Kaliska scoffed. "Of course not. My autoturrets shoot tranquilizer rounds. I don't need murder charges on top of everything else I've got going against me."

Carmelita grinned. "Now to get by these guards and down the hall to the briefcase..."

She looked down the hall, considering her next move. The guard station she was looking at would be tricky, but if she could distract them, lure them away somehow...

She reached into her pockets, producing a handful of small pellets, another trick she had learned during her ten years of training. She rolled them down the hall leading to the main entrance, the pellets exploding with a pop. The two guards, startled, raised their guns and headed down the hall, ready to kill anything that didn't look familiar. Carmelita smirked, and leaped down, heading into the web-like grid of lasers. Deftly dodging her way through the web, she quickly stepped out, sneaking her way towards the last pair of guards before the office.

Thinking quickly, scanning the area as she moved towards them, she noticed a table near the nearest guard, a long serving table that spanned the full length of the station, a tablecloth covering it. She quickly ducked underneath it, keeping out of the guard's flashlight, and crawled underneath. Stepping into the shadows, she passed through the last web, dodging her way through, and walked down the final length to the office door, which was locked. There was a camera watching the door. She hesitated, considering her next course of action.

Kaliska's voice came in over the Binocucom. "Carmen, I'm patched into the security cameras. My new hiding place has a power station I could hack into. I have the feed on a constant loop, so only I see what's really going on in any location you're in, offer help if need be."

Carmelita shook her head, removing a lockpick. "I appreciate it, and good job on taking the cameras. Just be ready to aid Neyla. I'm gonna take a more 'direct' route back."

Kaliska blinked. "How?"

Neyla chimed in. "I'm wondering that too, love."

Carmelita smirked as the lock clicked. She moved the office door open slightly, sneaking in. "Just trust me."

She went into the office, and began searching around for the papers. She found a page with three random numbers on it, shrugging and pocketing it in case she needed it. She scanned around, and discovered a small safe behind some books. She pulled out the books, and looked at the safe, which appeared to be a combination lock. She blinked, and pulled out the paper she had grabbed earlier, smirking as she realized what the numbers were. "Idiot. Can't remember his own safe's combination."

Entering the numbers on the dial, she opened the safe and pulled out the briefcase, leaving behind a small red calling card in its place. "Got it," she said, calling Kaliska on the Binocucom, as she exited the office.

"Okay, great. You still wanna head out past the vault?" Kaliska said.

Carmelita looked at the guards through the laser web. "Hm... Yes. Any quick exit would be a good one."

"If you say so," Kaliska said, "I still want to know how you're gonna do that 'direct' route you mentioned..."

Carmelita thought back to another part of her training, and grinned. "Just watch," she said, closing her eyes and concentrating. Before Kaliska's and Neyla's shocked eyes, she vanished.

"What! WHAT?" Kaliska almost shrieked. "Do you have a cloaking device or something in that coat?"

Neyla suddenly realized what else it was. "No..." she said softly. _ANOTHER Cooper technique, this time the Egyptian Ghost power... I didn't even know that people outside the Cooper bloodline could even LEARN it... _

Carmelita, now completely invisible, walked quickly past the lasers, taking care to keep her footsteps light as she moved past both lasers and flashlight guards. In the middle of the second web, she contacted Neyla and Kaliska.

"Get the guards out of my way. I won't be able to sneak past the vault if there's too many there. And hurry it up, maintaining this takes more effort than it looks..." Carmelita huffed. She could feel herself getting more and more tired as she maintained her invisible state, the lasers passing harmlessly over her, not able to sense her.

Neyla blinked, and nodded. She ran from her hiding place towards the vault side entrance to the mansion, and knocked on the door. Confused, one of the eight guards by the vault entrance slowly opened the door, looking out at Neyla, who smiled sweetly, her expression made disturbing by her glowing white eyes.

"Can I help you?" the guard asked hesitantly.

"Hello love! I'm here with the Avon Company, wondering if you'd be interested in our new line of beauty products! Is the lady of the house in?" Neyla asked, grinning brightly.

The guard glared at her. "No. She's not."

Neyla smirked. "No? Well, how about you then? You strike me as the makeup-using type..."

The guard snarled, and Neyla ran for it. "GET HER!" the guard called, eight of the ten guards chasing after her, guns blazing.

Neyla ran as fast as she could, her amazing agility the only thing preventing her from being ventilated by the guards.

"Neyla, I'm setting up a holographic waypoint by my position! Get the guards go through there and my autoturrets will take them out!" Kaliska said.

"On my way," she said, huffing, yelping as a barrage of bullets barely missed her. As she got to the waypoint, she dove through it, the guards far too close for comfort. As she did, the autoturrets opened fire, striking each guard several dozen times in the neck and chest, the tranquilizers taking effect almost immediately, each guard collapsing.

Neyla fell to her knees, catching her breath, while Kaliska came out of her hiding place to collect her turrets. "Not bad," she said.

"Those turrets of yours are pretty handy," Neyla said, panting and grinning.

Kaliska smirked. "Let's meet up with Carmen and get the hell out of here."

Meanwhile, back in the mansion, Carmelita dropped her invisibility and snuck up behind the two remaining guards. She fired her cane's tazer line, knocking out one of them. When the other turned to look at his friend, she snuck up behind him and grabbed him in a sleeper hold, choking him with her cane until he fell unconscious. She went outside, seeing Neyla and Kaliska running towards her.

She held up the briefcase triumphantly. "Time to excuse ourselves, ladies," she said, trading high fives with Neyla as they ran for the van, the sounds of guards finally realizing what was going on and raising an alarm meeting their ears.

They came to the fence, which was still lacking electricity. Neyla lashed her steel-lined whip at it, shattering it, the three of them heading through the field towards their van, which was waiting for them in their hiding spot. The three of them practically threw themselves in, Neyla revving the van hard and driving off.

"Not bad," Kaliska said, resting up against the side of the van and huffing, trying to catch her breath. "I can tell working with you two is gonna be one helluva workout."

Carmelita smirked. "So you're in, then?"

Kaliska nodded. "I think I believe it now. You ARE Carmen Sandiego. The real thing, or at the very least someone who can live up to the name. So I'm in. I'm a part of VILE," she said, smirking and adding, "If, of course, you think I'm 'useful' enough..."

Carmelita nodded. "You did good tonight," she said, "You're in."

Neyla checked the rear view. "No pursuit. I don't think they noticed the van leaving."

Carmelita sighed. "Let's just get to my car and ditch this thing fast. I'll only relax once we're back at my hideout."

Neyla nodded. "Righto," she said. They drove on, eventually pulling up to Carmelita's car, hidden in an abandoned schoolyard. Carmelita went to her car and pulled out a small dustbuster and handcloth.

"Wipe it down," she said, tossing both items to Neyla, "No fingerprints, no shed fur. Let's not give them anything to track us with," she said.

Neyla nodded, and did as asked, wiping down everywhere her bare hands or Kaliska's touched the interior of the van, vacuuming up any stray fur. She got into the car with Kaliska and Carmelita, the three of them driving off and heading back to Carmelita's flat in the countryside.

"Not bad," Kaliska said, "Quiet, a good way out of the city... Beats an apartment anyday." The coyote nodded in approval at the surroundings and sat down on one of the loveseats, Carmelita and Neyla sitting on the couch, setting the briefcase on the table. She picked the locks on it and opened it, letting the three women see what was inside of it.

Inside the briefcase were several documents and notebooks, as well as some flash drives. Kaliska claimed the flash drives immediately and put them in her own computer, accessing the files, while Neyla and Carmelita looked at the papers.

"Mary mother of God..." Carmelita muttered, glaring at the notebook she was looking at.

Neyla chuckled nervously, looking over her invoices. "It seems our boy Faulkun has been using his Russian Mafia contacts to fund terrorism in the Middle East."

Kaliska nodded, confirming. "I managed to decode the files... He's selling weapons that the Mafia acquires in exchange for allowing them access to oil fields. Their overall goal is to severely weaken the United States federal government."

"What's the play, Carmen?" Neyla asked, "We've got definitive evidence against him now."

Carmelita quirked an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Kaliska, can you hack the Faulkun estate's communication network without him tracing it back to us?"

"Easily," she said, "Why?"

Carmelita just smirked.

_An hour later..._

Faulkun slapped his chief of security again. "Three women. You're telling me, that with all my security, all the money I've shelled out, you let THREE FUCKING WOMEN break in and steal my briefcase!"

The doberman whimpered. "Sir, with all due respect..."

Faulkun snarled, "NO. No excuses! You idiots are going to pay for this!" He dismissed the guard, and paced around the room. The falcon shivered, muttering to himself. His client, a large husky, sat nearby, his glare so intimidating that Faulkun was starting to molt, feathers shedding with each frantic step he took.

"I am not having confidence in you, Mister Faulkun," the husky said, his Russian accent thick. "You have been doing quite well up to this point, but now you are letting three women get by you? It is making me wonder if you are being complacent."

Faulkun gulped hard. "I assure you, Mister Borisovitch, that this is just a one-time lapse. This will never happen again, and your shipments will continue as scheduled."

Borisovitch's eyes narrowed. "And the briefcase with the invoices?"

Faulkun gulped. "We... We're looking for clues, but reports are garbled. The only thing the guards can say for certain is that one of them is a tigress."

"Which does not narrow it down in the slightest," Borisovitch rumbled, folding his muscular arms.

Faulkun squawked nervously at the sight of Borisovitch's arms bulging as he folded them, cursing himself for showing that much weakness. "We... We only have one real clue," he said, holding out the calling card.

Borisovitch frowned, looking at the card. It bore an image of a red silhouetted fox from the shoulders up in a circle, looking off to one side and tipping her wide-brimmed hat. Borisovitch, a longtime veteran of the Russian Mafia, frowned, trying to remember what the symbol meant.

When he did, however, his blood ran cold, his complexion paling so much that it was visible through his fur. "Bozhe moi..." he muttered, "It can't be... not after so long..."

Borisovitch went to grab his coat. "I am leaving," he rumbled.

Faulkun blinked, confused. "Wait, what's wrong?" he said, pocketing the calling card again.

Borisovitch scowled. "Situation is worse than expected. Thief was old enemy of Russian Mafia," he said, "One I am thinking was dead a long time ago, but apparently is not."

Faulkun was even more confused now. "Who!"

Borisovitch started to answer, but just shook his head. "I am leaving. You are dealing with situation or I am dealing with YOU," he said, heading for the chopper.

Faulkun watched in numb shock as the Russian fled. As soon as he was out of sight, a guard came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, startling him so much that he took to the air briefly, flapping his wings wildy.

"Don't do that!" he shrieked.

The guard gulped nervously. "Sorry sir," he apologized, "But you really need to see this."

Faulkun snarled. "See what?"

"It's the thief, sir," the guard said, "She's on... Well, every monitor in the building."

Faulkun just stared at him incredulously, and followed the guard in, heading for the main security station.

"Are you tracing it?" he demanded.

The technician shook his head. "We're trying. But we're being rerouted through at least a dozen dummy servers at once. Whoever her tech person is, she's a helluva lot better than we are."

Faulkun growled, and looked at the smirking face of the gray-furred fox on the screen. "All right," he snarled, "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Carmelita just chuckled. "So direct. I like that in a man," she teased, "Very well, I'll keep this simple. I am Carmen Sandiego, leader of V.I.L.E. Villainesses Involved in Larceny and Extortion."

Faulkun blinked. "Carmen Sandiego? Like the old games?"

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing people he didn't exist. He isn't the only one who thought of that particular trick, however." Carmelita taunted.

Faulkun glared at the screen for a moment, and shook his head, sighing. "All right. Ball's in your court, Carmen, or whoever the hell you say you are. What do you want?"

"Ninety-nine million dollars American transferred to the account number I'm sending to you," she said, "I want it within one hour or this case is going to Interpol and you, you excrementicious excuse of a man, are going to jail. Once the money is sent, we'll contact you with a drop location, that only YOU AND YOU ALONE must come to. We won't be there, but we will be watching."

The transmission cut off, all the screens going dark, leaving the same logo that was on the calling card for about a minute before shutting off.

Faulkun stared at the screens, fuming. A technician gulped, and said, "...Sir, we couldn't even begin to trace it. The transmission cut off just after the account number was sent."

Faulkun slammed his fist down on the console in frustration, startling his guards. "DAMN IT ALL!" he snarled, collapsing and putting his hands over his head.

"...Sir?" a guard asked hesitantly.

After a moment, Faulkun said, "Prepare the money for transfer."

"You're giving in?" a guard asked incredulously.

"I don't have a choice!" he snarled, "She only gave me an hour! It'll take that long just to get the money together and transferred, to say nothing of trying to trace the damn account! Just get my accountants to get the money together and transferred. I'll get the case back first, and then I'll find and skin these hags."

Faulkun stormed out, and the guards frantically set to their work, not wanting to be on their boss's bad side.

Back at Carmelita's hideout, the three members of VILE were enjoying their work.

"Not bad, love," Neyla said, "New name for the acronym, and we're making a tidy penny out of this job as well."

Kaliska looked at her curiously. "You're really not gonna just hand over the data to him if he pays, are you?"

Carmelita just smiled. "Make one more call," she said.

_The next evening..._

Faulkun drove up in his Lamborghini to the old church, frowning as he looked around. No one seemed to be there, but he was still nervous nevertheless. He NEEDED to get this case back. Borisovitch was a dangerous man who knew dangerous people. He didn't want to cross him at all...

Swallowing hard, he worked up his courage and slowly walked towards the pathway to the entrance of the church. Testing it, he found it unlocked, as the message Carmen sent him after the money was transferred said it would be.

He looked around the inside of the church before stepping in, his sharp, avian eyes not catching anything moving in the shadows, and ran up to the pulpit. Sure enough, right where she said it was, was the briefcase. Unlocking it, he quickly shuffled through everything, making sure it was all still there.

"Good... At least that hag Sandiego was good on that part of her word. Everything's all there," he said.

"What's all where?" said a cheerful voice from behind him.

Faulkun froze. He tried to stand up and go for the sidearm he had with him, but the feel of a shock pistol barrel behind his head made him stop again.

"Don't move," said a second, harsher voice, "Drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head."

The source of the first voice, a grinning, cheerful doberman in a brown trenchcoat and rumpled suit-shirt and khaki pants, came around to the front of Faulkun's line of sight as he followed his orders. The doberman leaned down, and looked through the files.

"Yep, everything's here, just like the tip said there would be," the doberman said.

"Who are you people?" Faulkun said, looking behind him, seeing a calm, stoic-faced pit bull in a neatly pressed black suit aiming a shock pistol at his skull.

The doberman smirked. "Ah, how rude of me. I'm Inspector Rick Caldin of Interpol. My grim faced associate is my partner, Inspector Kennedy Xavier. And you, Mister Faulkun, are under arrest for gun smuggling and supporting international terrorism."

Faulkun was baffled. "How... What..." And then he realized what had happened. "HER... That bitch... It was HER!"

Kennedy blinked. "'Her?'"

Faulkun laughed madly. "It was Carmen, wasn't it? She told you. That sneaky little..."

Kennedy jabbed his head with the shock pistol, silencing his rant. "You don't need to know about our sources, scumbag."

Faulkun just laughed, completely defeated and unable to think of anything else to say.

The two officers gathered up the briefcase and Faulkun, taking him out to the waiting paddywagon. Kennedy nodded, satisfied, as he watched the wagon containing Faulkun drive off. "Another scumbag criminal off the street," he said.

"And now, it's Miller time," Rick said, grinning and stretching.

Kennedy scowled at him. "We have to fill out the paperwork first, you know that," he said.

Rick rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah yeah," he said. "You really need to lighten up, you know that?"

"Indeed," said a gruff, grim voice, startling both inspectors. They turned, seeing a massive bloodhound in a long black trenchcoat walking towards them, holding up a badge. "If you don't learn to relax on these missions, then it'll destroy you from the inside out."

Rick chuckled nervously. "Not quite what I meant, but the general idea is there. And you are?"

"I am Agent Mortis," he said.

_Appropriate, _Rick thought, _since you look like the goddamn grim reaper. _"Agent of what?"

"Classified," he said. "However, I am familiar with the person who tipped you off."

Kennedy went wide-eyed. "You know our informant? Does she work for you?"

Mortis smirked. "Yes and no. She's... an interesting test case, and let's leave it at that. Did you find anything on Faulkun? Like, say, a card of sorts?"

Kennedy and Rick traded looks. "That card thing?" Rick said, holding it out, "Sure."

Mortis took the card from them, and stared at it. After a long moment, he sighed and shook his head. "So it's starting again... My my, good doctor... Is this what you felt like?"

Rick gave Mortis a disturbed look and whispered to Kennedy, "Okay, we are officially in weirdoland here..."

Kennedy frowned. "Let's give him the benefit of the doubt for now. If he is a fraud, we'll prosecute him accordingly."

"I assure you, gentlemen," he said, having overheard, "That I am no fraud. I've been observing your records. Rick Caldin, you have a near 100% success rate on your cases, barring anything involving Lupin the Third or his associates and the Cooper Gang. You're amiable, well-liked by civilians and your fellow officers, and have an excellent public record."

Rick grinned. "Well, I do try to get along with everyone," he said, idly tugging on his jacket.

Mortis turned to Kennedy, and said, "You have a similar record of success in the field, Mr. Xavier. Your personal record, however, is somewhat different. You strike your fellow officers as being overly uncompromising, brutally honest, and more than a little stubborn. Plus, you tend to be overly harsh on criminals you catch, although always within procedural limits."

Kennedy just nodded. "Criminals are scum, sir. They chose to break the law, the law which governs all people and keeps them safe. They don't deserve any respect or dignity."

Mortis stared at Kennedy for a moment, making the younger man feel somewhat uncomfortable. "Have you ever seen Les Miserables?" Mortis asked after a moment.

Kennedy flinched, scowling. "No, I have not. Why do people keep asking me that?"

Rick just chuckled. Mortis frowned, and added, "I suggest you see it. It's an excellent show besides, but the lesson of Inspector Javert should be taken into account. I ignored that lesson once, and Carmen Sandiego nearly destroyed me because of it."

Rick and Kennedy stared at Mortis in confusion. "I remember those games from school," Kennedy said, "Are you saying that the one who tipped us off, who robbed Faulkun beforehand, was... Carmen Sandiego!"

Rick shook his head. "You're kidding. Carmen is fiction. Whomever called us, if she is the one, is just using the name for fame."

Mortis grinned, the sight sending a chill down the backs of both officers. "You'd be surprised what you have to do to cover things up. Anything to prevent the world from finding out how badly one woman and her associates made your agency look like fools."

Kennedy and Rick traded worried looks. "...Sir, where are you going with this?" Kennedy asked.

"I want to recruit you boys," he said. "You're the best of Interpol's best right now. I want your help in tracking and catching one of the top three greatest thieves in the world right now, plus anyone she may meet along the way. The prestige I'm offering you is limitless, and I'll provide resources to you that you never would have in Interpol. What do you say?"

Rick frowned. It did sound tempting, but it sounded way too strange to be legit. He turned to Kennedy, and asked "Opinions?"

Kennedy frowned. "The badge looks legit. We can look it up in the database when we get back to headquarters. ...I think we should play along for now. Best case scenario, he's right, and we get a top level scumbag out of play. Worst case, we arrest him for being a kook."

Rick thought for a moment, and nodded. "Okay, Agent Mortis. We're in," he said.

"Excellent," Mortis said, grinning that chilling grin again. "It'll be a pleasure working with you."

_Epilogue..._

Kaliska, Carmelita, and Neyla were all relaxing at Carmelita's house. Kaliska had gone off to get cleaned up, leaving Neyla and Carmelita alone. Carmelita had stripped off her coat and hat, hanging them up as she lay on the couch, Neyla bringing in drinks. She took a dose of her anti-psychotic medication, and sat down next to her.

"Well, the gang's growing," Neyla said, "I'll probably have to be careful and not refer to events from your old life around her."

Carmelita sighed. "Probably."

Neyla sipped her drink. "But don't fret, love. You're doing great! Faulkun was successfully looted, extorted, and busted, with a sizable amount of cash for us all. Plus, we have a techie to help up look in on Mortis when you're ready."

Carmelita smiled. "Yeah... Yeah, it does feel good... I'm just tired, is all..."

Neyla chuckled. "Considering the past few nights, love, it's understandable. So what's our next move?"

Carmelita put an arm over her eyes, sighing again. "Continued expansion. We're going after our demolitions expert next."

"Sounds delightful," she said, "Who did you have in mind?"

Carmelita smirked, looking at Neyla from under her arm. "You gave me the idea earlier," she said.

Neyla nearly choked on her drink when she realized. "Jing King? You're going after the Firefly?"

Carmelita nodded. "We run the risk of confronting her father, but if Jing King truly has learned everything he knew, then she'll be the ideal choice. Especially when we go after the next member I want to recruit after her."

"Which is going to be someone else that will give me a headache, isn't it? Another girl, since we've identified ourselves as a Villainess group," Neyla said, smirking and shaking her head.

Carmelita smirked. "This is only the beginning. I have a huge name to live up to, Neyla. I need to get into the Grand Rogues competition and win it, and more, I need to find out what Mortis is really up to, why he turned me into Carmen Sandiego. I've never given up on anything, Neyla, and I don't intend to start now."

Neyla grinned. "There's the Old Ironsides I know and love."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	4. The Case of the China Vox: Part 1

_**Scarlet Fox**_

_**Chapter 4  
The Case of the China Vox**_

_**Part 1**_

_ All characters not original copyrighted to Sucker Punch and anyone else relevant. All original characters copyrighted to me, so please don't use without permission. Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are both welcome and encouraged._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_Hong Kong..._

_Two weeks after the Faulkun robbery..._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Three women got off of the plane, talking casually about what they planned to do while visiting Hong Kong. Nothing suggested that they new each other, and they had nothing in common, save that they had formed a brief single-serving friendship on the plane, the kind that one makes to help pass the time on the flight, knowing that you wouldn't see each other again afterwards. One was the picture of the American tourist, a chubby coyote with a backback and a camera, looking around eagerly and snapping pictures at what appeared to be random. Her hair was done up in pigtails, a star tattoo on her fur, glitter adorning her face and cleavage, her body barely clad in a pair of jean shorts and black emogoth t-shirt, her shoes a pair of pink and white sneakers.

"This is, like, SO cool!" she said, her voice a very distinct Valley Girl accent, "My boyfriend's gonna be like, SO totally jazzed that I got to visit Hong Kong!"

"Just make sure that y'all keep it platonic until y'all are ready, sugah," chuckled a dainty voice. A lavender tigress with purple strikes waddled out of the plain next, helped by a stewardess. She was clad in a large t-shirt and khaki pants, the t-shirt pulled up tight around her heavily pregnant belly. "Thank y'all honey," the woman said, grinning politely, her eyes hidden by sunglasses, "It's mighty hard gettin' up and down these days." Her manner was pure Southern gentility, all moonlight and magnolias, and it charmed anyone she met.

The stewardess nodded. "It is my pleasure," the slender young panda said, bowing politely and giving the pregnant tigress her carry-on bag. She walked down to chat amiably with the chubby teenage tourist, while the last of the three came down the runway.

A harsh-looking woman came out next, a Cape fox in a severe black business suit, her muscular legs tightly fitting into her suit dress, emphasizing her butt and tail. Her manner suggest both sensuality, her suit hugging her curves, and a cold strength, her eyes icy and her hair pulled into a tight bun. She was busy yelling into a cell phone, apparently trying to work a business deal. After a moment of yelling, she seemed satisfied, and shut off the phone, going to join the other two.

"Hmph. Well, ladies, it's been a pleasure, but I need to get to the hotel. I've got a major business meeting and I do not want to be late for it," the businesswoman said, looking for an exit.

"Oh!" the pregnant woman said, getting an idea, "If'n y'all don't mind, since we all's goin' to the same place, why don't we all share a cab? Ah'll pay for it, no trouble at all."

The teenager grinned. "That's be like, SO totally awesome! It'd leave me more money for like, seeing the sights, and checking out the totally rad arcades!"

The businesswoman gave her an odd look. "Arcades?"

The teenger nodded. "I like, won this major gaming tournament, see? And I won this awesome all-expenses paid trip to Hong Kong, with any money I spend in arcades promised to be reimbursed."

The pregnant woman grinned, one hand on her back as she walked with the two of them, heading through the various security checkpoints. "Well ah declare. Who'da thunk them thare video type games could actually be profitable for the players?"

"Anything is profitable," the businesswoman said, nodding, "if you know how to market it. The people that held the tournament... a video game store, I believe you said earlier, while our associate here was in the bathroom?" When the teenager nodded, she continued, "The store probably made triple back what they payed you in ticket sales and people buying new and used games while the tournament was going on."

The teenager giggled. "Heh, yeah. There was like, fancy displays all over the store, and people were like, buyin' games all over the place n'junk..."

It went on like that, the three of them picking up their luggage and making idle chit-chat. The pregnant woman managed to hail a taxi first, the other two getting in with her as they went to the hotel. They all went inside, taking separate elevators.

They met up on the top floor leading to the penthouse. The teenager was the last to get out, backing up the computer she had used to hack into the security systems and create a loop in the security camera's imagery. The businesswoman looked to the teenager, who nodded. "We're good. No one will see us coming and going," she said, her accent gone.

The businesswoman nodded, and turned to the pregnant woman, "And the staff?"

The pregnant woman sneered, removing her sunglasses and revealing her ghostly white eyes. "We've got the entire top floor to ourselves, Carmen. The manager was pathetically easy to blackmail. He's been hiring underage prostitutes for visiting businessmen for years. I've got a full file ready to turn into the authorities once we don't need the hotel anymore," she said, patting one of her suitcases.

Carmelita nodded, going into the closest penthouse and letting everyone else in as well. "Good. Neyla, you got our gear?"

The pregnant woman smirked, and removed her shirt as well as the false canvas 'skin' over her fake pregnancy. Neyla removed it, revealing the equipment contained within, Neyla's whip as well as some of Carmelita's tools and equipment, which she quickly reclaimed.

"Good," Carmelita said, "The fake pregnant belly was a good idea, Neyla."

Kaliska, dusting the glitter off of her fur and changing into her usual clothes, chuckled. "I can't believe how much you were able to milk that fake belly."

Neyla just grinned. "You'd be surprised how easy it is to play on people's sympathy for a pregnant woman. All you have to do is be able to gauge who will think one of two things. One, the girl's a slut, and two, the girl is 'such a sweet dear' who's 'with child.' You just gotta know how to know which people are the latter and how to exploit them."

Kaliska snickered. "All right then, on the way back I get to be the pregnant chick," she said.

Neyla huffed. "It's my fake belly, only I get to use it," she said.

Carmelita chuckled, rolling her eyes as she changed into her usual attire. "People," she said as she put on her trademark red coat, "Fun's fun, but we're here to find Jing King. Kaliska, you have evidence that she'd be in the area?"

Kaliska nodded, still smirking, but her manner turning professional. She opened her laptop, and called up some files. "Known associates of General Tsao have been reporting attacks for the last five years by someone using fireworks to very deadly effect. The first attack coincides with exactly one year after Jing King disappeared from under Panda King's watch, reportedly stealing her father's Flame Fu scrolls and a good deal of his equipment, including a spare cannon. Since then, most of the people who helped keep General Tsao in power until the Cooper Gang defeated him and that Interpol lady he used to be sweet on before she died... Carmelita, I think her name was... have been taken out by a mysterious panda woman calling herself the Firefly."

Carmelita closed her eyes, remembering the incident with Tsao, and nodded. To her aggravation, even in the more prominent events in her life, she could no longer hear her voice as Carmelita. Only as Carmen Sandiego. And remembering that triggered another memory...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_A secret facility..._

_Years ago..._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"No," Mortis said, pressing the button on the console.

Carmelita screamed, electricity going through her, visibly arcing over her fur. "What... What'd I do wrong now?"

"Still too much Carmelita in your voice. The impersonation must be consistent, must be constant. Mannerisms, voice, all must be exactly as Carmen's was. And incidentally..." Mortis said, his hand hovering over the button on the console.

Carmelita whimpered. "Dios... Please, Mortis, I..."

Mortis pressed the button. Carmelita screamed, electricity pumping through her again, the fur around the electrodes smoking. Mortis held down the button for almost a full minute before letting it go. Carmelita slumped over on the chair she was tied to, her fur smoldering.

Mortis glared at her. "Get it right. It stops when you get it right, absolutely no time before," he said, pressing another button, a video of an interrogation with Carmen Sandiego playing. Carmelita stared intently at the video, shivering softly from the pain she was in. She studied the Cape Fox on the screen, committing her mannerisms to memory as best she could, listening intently to her voice, taking in the inflection the tone, the sound, everything...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_Now..._

_The hotel room..._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Carmen?" Kaliska asked, a concerned look on her face.

Neyla shook Carmelita gently, Carmelita gasping as she came out of her memory.

"You okay, love?" Neyla asked frowning.

Carmelita shook her head to clear it, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just... had a bit of a flashback, is all..."

Neyla traded concerned looks with Kaliska. "Does it have anything to do with... how you came back?" Neyla asked, phrasing the question as neutrally as possible.

Carmelita nodded, going over to sit at the nearby dresser. "Yeah," she said, rubbing her eyes, realizing that she had been crying. "Bad memories. Nightmares that follow me even when I'm awake. As you well know, Neyla."

Neyla frowned. "You want to go off somewhere and talk?"

Carmelita shook her head. "N-No. Not yet. I just... need a moment..."

Kaliska frowned at the two of them, wondering what sort of lives that they lived... and wondered if she had made a mistake in becoming a thief in the first place... She still had nightmares about a near miss with some guards on an early mission, but it looked like these two have had a much harsher life than she had. _Will I end up having the same kind of haunted eyes those two have? _

She was no fool. She hadn't been in the business long, but she could tell when someone had greater experience than her. And what kind of experience it was. It was part of what had allowed her to judge that Neyla would be a good partner to work with. But the moment she had met Neyla in person she had sensed that Neyla had been through a lot, and not just from the scars and her hair and eyes, turned permanently white. She had never stated the details, and Kaliska hadn't pressed, but she had always wondered.

And this woman... Carmen Sandiego... Everything she did matched the data. Plus the sheer strength she sensed from this woman, her force of personality... just from being around her, Kaliska could feel the might of her presence. To see a woman that strong weakened just by a memory...

Kaliska shook her head. She'd think about it later. She never dwelt on problems she couldn't solve immediately, as it did nothing but distract one from the job. "Um..." she said hesitantly, coughing, "I don't know about you two, but I find that focusing on a mission helps clear my head."

Carmelita nodded, quickly composing herself. "Yes. Yes, the mission. Kaliska, do you have any data on why Jing King would be here?"

Kaliska nodded, and began typing again, calling up information, more comfortable now that she was doing something. "Right, okay... The Firefly has been targeting known associates of General Tsao Wren for the past few years, around the same time I myself got into the business. Their businesses have been demolished, the associates themselves publicly humiliated and exposed, getting jail time for it. There have been a small handful of casualties in her earlier missions, probably due to her inexperience with her father's firework explosives, but she's since gotten more precise in her demolitions. Right now, there's only one left: Tsao Khan, Tsao's older brother. He runs an electronics firm that acts as a front for his illegal operations. Not as powerful in magic as his younger brother, he's a lot more clever, and just as skilled a martial artist. He made sure that his brother's bull-headed tactics went unnoticed by authorities, and reportedly developed a technique that can force someone to relieve their worst memory over and over again..."

"Note to self: Don't let him use that technique on me," Carmelita quipped.

"Amen, sister," Neyla muttered, quickly popping one of her anti-psychotic meds.

"Khan's currently running illegal drugs through the city, including some potent new extracts as well as pharmaceuticals that have been 'dislocated.' Most of the authorities are payed off, and are hunting the Firefly with Khan's own people. The handful of good cops on the local police force have slowly been meeting with 'accidents,' and fireworks stores across the city being watched. There's rumors about Khan getting support from an outside source, but nothing's confirmed so far."

Carmelita tapped her chin thoughtfully. "...Okay, just from that, I can tell we're not going to be able to recruit Jing King unless we help her take out Tsao Khan."

Neyla frowned. "Not an easy job, love. We don't even know who all of Khan's people are."

Carmelita shook her head. "First things first: Find Jing King, or Firefly, or whatever she's calling herself, and get her working with us. I do have an idea on how to proceed, but I want to get her working with us before anything happens."

Kaliska began typing. "From the police intel I've hacked, there's rumored to be a meeting about five blocks from here in a ritzy restaurant that's been paying protection money to Tsao Khan. Khan himself is supposed to be there, talking with that 'outside source' he's supposed to have backing him. It'd be a perfect target for the Firefly."

"It's also a dumb one," Carmelita said. "Does she even know who Tsao Khan's backers are? If she does make an attack, there's no guarantee that she'll even take him out. That still doesn't solve the problem of the drugs, either."

Neyla nodded. "I agree," she said, idly twirling the tip of her whip, "But how can we convince her?"

Carmelita frowned. "Let's find her, first. C'mon," she said, heading for the window.

Neyla nodded, and got up to exit through the window with her.

Kaliska blinked. "What, you're going through the windows?"

Carmelita smirked. "We'll be fine. We've got paragliders, and the rooftops aren't that far apart."

"Didn't you get one?" Neyla asked.

"Forgive me if I don't trust a thin chunk of canvas to hold me and my equipment. Sorry, but until that hoverpack I ordered off of ThiefNet comes in, I'm not gonna be much for rooftop work. I'm gonna have to be mission control on this one."

Carmelita nodded. "Fine, then. Broadcast the waypoint for the place we have to go into our binocucoms."

Kaliska nodded, and typed for a moment. "Done. Good luck," she said.

Carmelita nodded, and leaped out of the window, whipping a paraglider stylized after her own trademark symbol out, drifting over to the nearby roof. Neyla followed, doing the same. They landed gently, looking up at the hotel again. Carmelita took note of the thin ledge, and nodded.

"Neyla," she asked, "How many of those portable bounce platforms do you have?"

"Just the one," she said, taking it out of her hip, revealing that it was attached to a cord. "I used to have a bunch, but now I keep this one with me at all times. Most of my money goes to... other needs, as it were." She held up one of her medication bottles, almost apologetically.

Carmelita frowned, and shrugged, pulling out her binocucom and looking for the waypoint. "Very well. The distance isn't that far and I can jump to the window on my own. I'll let you keep the platform for yourself."

"Says the woman with springs in her legs," Neyla muttered, "No matter what's happened to you, love, I'm still envious of that jumping ability of yours."

Carmelita chuckled. "I had the Super Mario Brothers as two of my instructors in Interpol training," she joked.

Neyla laughed. Carmelita smirked, and then became serious when she spotted the waypoint. "There, let's go."

The two of them jumped across the buildings, heading in the direction of the waypoint. They came to a stop on a low building, overlooking a restaurant. Carmelita stood at the edge of the roof, looking at the two men inside.

One was a rooster with a slender, athletic build, his feathers neatly combed, his crest laying to one side elegantly. He wore a white business suit, the same color of his feathers, and a tie with the Tsao family crest on in. His every manner suggested condescension and arrogance, his beak curved in a smug grin. Carmelita guessed, and Kaliska confirmed, that the rooster was Tsao Khan.

The person he was talking to, however, was different. A huge, heavily muscular scorpion with a thick beard, large pincers for hands, a black suit, and a large, curving tail, he was almost the exact opposite of Tsao Khan. He was cordial with the waiters, spoke with no seeming arrogance, and was very straightforward. His stinger was covered in a canvas cloth, which Carmelita remembered was a law in most countries for insect breeds with stingers.

"Damn," Carmelita said, "I know the big guy. That's Pankrati Gregovitch, former Spetsnaz, now an enforcer for the Russian Mafia."

Neyla blinked, looking at the scorpion again. "Spetsnaz? Seriously?"

Kaliska cursed. "I read about them. Their basic training involves basically beating each other to death on a daily basis to toughen up."

Carmelita nodded. "According to reports I... 'acquired' from the Russian government," she said, technically telling the truth, but phrasing it to sound like she stole them, "he and his unit were set up for a fall when a mission against some Green Berets went badly. He was the only survivor, so he gave his skills to the Russian Mafia, so he could still stay loyal to the country after a fashion while punishing the people who betrayed him. ...What's he doing here, though?"

Kaliska frowned. "Unknown," she said, "There wasn't mention of him in any of my reports."

"Wonderful," Neyla muttered, rolling her eyes. "The Russian Mafia again."

"We do seem to be having a bit of a run on them, aren't we?" Carmelita said, putting her binocucom away.

"I'd love to hear what they are talking about," Kaliska said, "but unfortunately, I'm not close enough to try and splice in a listening device." She shook her head, feeling ashamed. "Sorry ladies... Looks like I need to work on my Le Parkour skills."

Carmelita blinked. "Le what?" she said away from the comm.

Neyla chuckled. "I'll explain later," she said.

"You will explain now," said a third voice in heavily accented English. Neyla and Carmelita whirled, seeing a youngish panda woman with an athletic build, her arms and stomach heavily defined with muscle. She wore a pair of red, form-fitting pants with a fire design and black boots, a tight red top covering her breasts. Her hair was cut short, save for in front, her bangs slightly covering one eye. She wore suspenders which had fireworks mounted in holsters on them, a fireworks cannon on her back.

She glared at the two women with suspicious eyes, a barely restrained fury burning in them. "Are you enforcers of Tsao Khan?"

Neyla quirked an amused eyebrow. "You MUST be joking."

The panda shook her head. "No... No, of course not. Khan is just as much of a chauvinist as his brother. He'd never trust women to protect him. Well, if you are not the enemy of the Firefly, then she must ask you to stand out of her way."

Carmelita just stared at her._ Such a drastic change from the sweet, innocent girl I interviewed after busting Tsao Wren. _Carmelita didn't say this, however. Instead, she asked, snickering, "Are you seriously talking in third person?"

Jing King scowled, annoyed that they weren't intimidated. "It is for dramatic effect. It worked on the allies of Tsao Wren I've bested before now."

Carmelita nodded. "I know about that," she said, "I heard all about your exploits in blowing the crap out of base thugs and brutes. But this is different. Khan knows you're coming for him."

Jing King shook her head. "He will fall, as the others have," she said confidently, starting for the edge of the roof, opening one of the firework caches on her suspenders.

Carmelita grabbed her wrist. "No, Jing. The situation is different from the ones you've faced before."

Jing King tried to shrug her off, but Carmelita's grip was too strong. Jing King glared at her, and snapped, "Release me. He is the last one I need to defeat!"

"You can't beat him like this. He's more competent than the others you've faced. He's probably ready for you," Carmelita insisted.

"Booming Chop!" Jing King yelled, swinging her flame-covered hand towards Carmelita's head. Before the powerful attack could hit, Neyla's whip lashed around her hand, yanking it back hard. Carmelita twisted Jing King's other arm around, effectively trapped her. She tried to lash out with a kick, but Carmelita struck her in the kidneys, staggering her. Neyla yanking her arm forward, causing her to stumble, both women piling on top of the demolitionist and grabbing her, immobilizing her limbs to the best of their ability.

"Damn you both, that wasn't fair! One-on-one I'd destroy you!" she snarled.

"Not much incentive for us to fight fair then, now is it?" Neyla chuckled.

"Calm down," Carmelita said, "We're not here to hurt you."

"NO!" Jing King snarled, wriggling desperately in the grip of the two of them, "I will not surrender! I must defeat him!"

Neyla grunted, struggling to keep Jing King in the leglock she had her in. "It's like trying to hold a bloody river trout," she muttered.

Carmelita frowned. "Why are you acting like this?"

Jing King turned as best she could in the crossface submission hold Carmelita had her in. "To prove to my father that I am not the weak little girl that Tsao Wren imprisoned! To prove to him that I am not weak, that I am truly worthy of the name King!"

Carmelita gave Jing King a thoughtful look, analyzing the tone of her voice, leaning back to avoid Jing King's attempts to grab her face with her free arm. "...You trying to prove that to your father? Or yourself?"

"I..." Jing King started to say, but stopped short, freezing as the thought sank in.

Neyla gave Carmelita a confused look. Carmelita just nodded, motioning for her to let Jing King go. The panda girl slowly picked herself up, staring at the ground.

Carmelita folded her arms, and asked, "Have you ever stopped to think about what you are doing? Or have you just gone non-stop since you started this quest, trying to block out the doubts in your mind?"

Jing King gave Carmelita an uncertain look.

Neyla, curious, looking at Carmelita as well, rolling up her whip. Carmelita just smiled, and said, "You cannot let your own fears and self-doubt stop you in doing what you need to do, but it's okay to HAVE those doubts. Fear can help you focus on problems and solving them. And only a fool is completely confident in themselves. That's why it's best to have friends to help you." She extended her hand.

Jing King stared at Carmelita's hand. "...I do not wish to serve anyone," she said, "I do not want to be tied down again..."

Carmelita shook her head. "I'm not offering you servitude, I'm offering you friendship. My name is Carmen Sandiego, and I'm restarting VILE. I want you to join us as our demolitions specialist."

Jing King blinked. "...Carmen Sandiego?" she said, her eyes widening in recognition, "My father... during the dark times, when he was working for Clockwerk... He said that the only other thief aside from the Cooper family that Clockwerk acknowledged as a threat was a woman named Carmen Sandiego..."

_ Dios, how much of a reputation did Carmen have? _Carmelita thought to her self, briefly noting that Neyla winced the two times Jing King mentioned Clockwerk. She nodded, and said, "Nice to know that the old bird had that level of respect for me. He was always one of my more... interesting challenges. I regret that I wasn't the one to finally take him down, but I was dealing with... other 'difficulties' at the time."

Jing King nodded. "Yes..." she said, staring at both Carmen and Neyla, looking into their eyes. Neyla shifted nervously, unable to hold Jing King's gaze, "Yes... I can sense that you both have suffered greatly..."

Carmelita winced, memories of her 'training' coming back. She quickly shook them off, and repeated her offer. "VILE fell apart when my old team betrayed me. I'm picking a new team, this time one of all girls. I've already got a con-artist and backup field agent in Neyla, and a tech specialist in your fellow contemporary, Kaliska Mourning Cloud. We could use your talent with demolitions."

Jing King smiled gently. "I... appreciate your offer. But I cannot. Not yet. I admit I may be acting... rashly... but I must not end my quest now. To do so would bring dishonor to me..."

Carmelita folded her arms, frowning, glancing down at the restaurant, checking on what Pankrati and Tsao Khan were doing. "Why did you leave your father's care?"

Jing King sighed. "I love my father... I defy him openly, but I still love him... But... at first I was content to let him judge who would associate with me. After Tsao Wren had kidnapped me, I was fearful... But after a while, my father became too protective. I saw no one save relatives, and even then my association with them was limited. My father's love had become a gilded cage, no different from the one Tsao Wren had me in..."

\ Carmelita frowned, and stroked the soft fur on her chin thoughtfully. "...You say you won't leave until you defeat Tsao Khan?"

Jing King nodded. "Give me this, and you will have me for... VILE, you called it?"

Carmelita nodded. "Okay then, we'll help you."

Kaliska paged Neyla and Carmelita on their binocucoms. "How's it going?" she asked.

"We're making a move against Tsao Khan," Carmelita said. "Once we put him in his place, we'll have the Firefly working for VILE."

Kaliska chuckled. "I thought you might. So I did some checking. Look for a black limo in the parking lot of the restaurant, one with the vanity plates KHANSPRM."

"'Khan Supreme?'" Neyla snickered, scanning over the lot, "Good lord."

After a few moments searching, they found it, far in the back and away from the restaurant's windows. "Found it," Neyla said.

"That model comes with Sirius satellite radio standard. If one of you can go down there and get me the serial number, I can hack into the Sirius network and use it to pick up sounds as well as broadcast them," Kaliska said.

"Giving us a way to listen in on Tsao Khan," Carmelita said, grinning.

"Can you even use a satellite radio like that?" Jing King asked, honestly curious.

"I can," Kaliska said, her voice sing-songy.

Carmelita nodded. "Neyla?"

"On it," Neyla said, using her bounce platform to leap across the street and land in the parking lot, drawing it back up with her via the cord once she was airborne. Neyla checked the door, and was surprised to find it unlocked. She frowned. She wanted to assume it was just luck, but most likely that meant the driver was getting a quick bite to eat. She checked the radio, removing it and checking around it for the specific serial number. Quickly memorizing it, she reattached the radio and bolted, heading back up to the restaurant roof just as the driver came back from getting take out at the nearby fast food restaurant.

Neyla told Kaliska the number, the coyote typing furiously, hacking her way through firewalls as if she was using a tomahawk. She accessed the network, and tapped directly into the car radio, grinning.

"I'm done. We have our temporary ear on the inside. Return to the hotel for now, we'll make a plan once we know more," she said.

Carmelita nodded. "On our way," she said. She motioned for Jing King to follow, she and Neyla heading back towards the hotel safehouse. Jing King followed a moment later. Once they got to the gap between the exit window and the rooftop they were on, Jing King using Neyla's bounce platform to cross the gap. Carmelita was the last go through the window, simply mega jumping through, landing gracefully and rolling to her feet, idly adjusting her hat.

"Show off," Neyla said, grinning.

Carmelita just smirked, removing her hat as she, Jing King, and Neyla took seats around Kaliska's computer. Kaliska briefly noted that Jing King had a binocucom, and asked her to leave to leave it so she could modify it and get it on everyone else's frequencies. Eventually, the radio tap caught Pankrati and Tsao Khan talking.

"...And at any rate, I don't see why you felt the need to be so polite to the waiters. It's their job to serve their betters, why should they be treated as if they matter?" Khan said.

"Contented help makes for more efficient help," Pankrati rumbled, speaking in thickly Russian accented Chinese. "You did not having to be so rude to waitress, though."

Khan snorted. "There are two things women are good for. She was doing one of them. The other I wasn't in the mood for at the moment."

Immediately Carmelita, Neyla, and Kaliska decided they hated this guy. Jing King's hatred of him was just reinforced.

Pankrati snorted, seemingly annoyed. "You could have at least looked the MEN in the eye," he muttered.

"Why?" he asked, sounding honestly confused. "They are lesser than we are, why should we acknowledge them beyond what is necessary for them to do their job?"

Pankrati sighed, and changed the subject. "Your unprofessionalism aside, I must compliment you on your work in making sure the drug shipments we are sending to China get moved out quickly, and underneath the eye of the police."

"It helps that half of the police force is either on my leash or in my pocket," Khan laughed. "Incidentally, have you received my new samples?"

"Of that new Spice concentrate pill, yes?" Pankrati rumbled, Neyla paling at he mention of the mere mention of it. "You were promoting as new performance enhancing drug."

"Indeed," Khan said, his voice oozing so much smugness that if it were water the car would have been flooded. "It shall provide the enhanced strength, endurance, stamina, and agility that only combinations of designer drugs could before, as well as the added aggression inherent to natural Spice."

Pankrati rumbled uncertainly. " I am not so sure. Spice is having bad reputation, especially after Klaww Gang dissolution. Plus, clinical trial resulted in patient turning partially feral."

"Really?" Khan said, sounding honestly surprised. "Hm. Have to improve the formula then. It's a good thing that the shipment I sent to Monaco was seized, then."

"What shipment?" Pankrati snarled. Carmelita took note of his anger, filing it away for later.

"Oh, simply an attempt on my part to see how well it would actually work as a performance enhancing drug on my own. A 'control group,' as it were. The local crime boss there, some silly woman who doesn't know her place, seized the shipment and is holding it."

"Idiot," Pankrati said, "Now we will have to try and salvage relationships with Monaco crime boss just so your arrogant acts do not ruin everything."

Khan's sneer could easily be heard over the radio. "Why do you even care what a woman thinks?"

"Woman is strong leader, maintain solid control over all Monaco crime. Russian Mafia want alliance with her, try and have her ship weapons. Needed now more than ever after Faulkun captured."

"A woman a strong leader," Khan laughed, "How droll. No one who calls themselves a man would follow a woman's orders. And as for Faulkun, he was a fool. Weak and useless."

"Again you underestimate. Rumors say one who defeated him was trio of women," Pankrati said, Kaliska, Neyla, and Carmelita grinning.

"Then he's weak. Anyone who falls to a woman is weak and useless," Khan said. "You're better off without him."

Pankrati shook his head. "Your arrogance is being astonishing. Do not be making me regret this arrangement, Tsao Khan."

Khan laughed. "You worry too much, old boy. Your predecessor here wasn't anywhere near as uptight as you are, or weighed down by so-called 'progressive' thoughts. What happened to him anyway?"

Pankrati growled. "He made mistake. Pray you not make mistake, Tsao Khan. God may forgive. I do not."

Khan sighed. "Fine, I'll try to be more 'professional,' as you call it. And I'll work on correcting the formula for my Spice concentrate."

Pankrati grunted. "You had better. I may not using them myself, but I can seeing potential of drug as performance enhancer. American sportsmen would pay fortune for it."

Khan laughed. "Indeed."

The rest of the chatter wasn't useful for anything, merely banter between the two men. Kaliska shut off her connection, and turned to the others. "Hokay, this isn't good," she said.

"First things first, we need to get rid of Pankrati," Carmelita said. "He's too competent, and none of us are strong enough to injure him, much less take him in a fight."

Jing King scowled. "You doubt my ability?"

Neyla chuckled weakly. "No offense, love, but if what I've heard about Spetsnaz is true, it'd take all the bombs you have and then some to stop him."

Carmelita gave her a more practical answer. "In addition to that, you've only been studying Flame Fu and demolitions work for a few years. Your father INVENTED the style as well as his own style of bombs and made both into an art form, and Pankrati has been trained to withstand great amounts of pain. I'm sorry, but I don't really believe that you're a match for him as you are now."

Jing King frowned, looking away, unable to formulate a response. Mainly because, and the realization hurt badly, Carmelita was right. Her decision to leave had been a hasty one, her training left incomplete.

"Don't feel too bad, love. You've done a lot of good work. We wouldn't have asked you to join us if we didn't think you were the best of the best," Neyla said, patting her on the back.

Jing King managed to smile, but still looked unhappy.

"As for Pankrati," Neyla said, "I can handle him. I know how to manipulate people, as my... rather unfortunate record shows..." Neyla winced, bad memories resurfacing. She quickly popped one of her meds, the memories starting to give rise to the voices, and coughed. Jing King gave Carmelita and Kaliska a curious look, the former just shaking her head, as if to say 'I'll explain later.'

Carmelita frowned. "That still leaves Tsao Khan. We need to shut down his drug operation and destroy as many of those Spice concentrate pills as we can."

Kaliska shook her head. "We need more intel. I can find out where Khan's office is through some simple hacking of police databases, but without any kind of an eye on the inside, we're out of luck."

"Neyla or I can infiltrate his office as a secretary," Carmelita said. "He doesn't look anyone he doesn't consider an equal in the eye, so we'll be able to get bugs setup."

Kaliska grimaced, a dark thought occurring to her. "He doesn't look at faces, but he does look at bodies. Don't take this the wrong way, girls, but... well, you two are babes. That means you're the exact wrong people we need for that particular mission."

Neyla blinked, confused. Carmelita, however, had already guessed, not wanting to have to volunteer Kaliska for it. She frowned, worried for Kaliska.

Kaliska shivered softly. "Look, Tsao Khan strikes me as the type who goes through secretaries very fast due to sexual harassment. With Carmelita and Neyla's body types, they're bound to attract that pervert's attention. While a chubby girl like me..."

"...wouldn't be as interesting to him," Neyla finished, understanding now. "You okay with doing this, love? You've never done infiltration before."

Kaliska scowled. "No, I'm not. Truth be told, I'm scared stiff by the mere thought of doing it. But it has to be me. You two are too attractive, and he most likely knows Jing King from either talking with his brother or her actions up until now."

"To take such risk..." Jing King said softly. "You are courageous, Kaliska Mourning Cloud, to venture into the devil's maw like that."

Kaliska grimaced. "Don't remind me of the danger," she said, "I might end talking myself out of doing this."

Jing King chuckled slightly. "And what of me? What can I do to help?"

Carmelita grinned viciously. "You get the pleasure of blowing up his drug shipments. We may need you for other missions as well."

Jing King nodded, her expression cold. "I look forward to it."

"Let's get some rest tonight. The entire top floor of the hotel is ours for the duration of the job, so everyone can pick a room of their own," Carmelita said.

"Dibs on this one," Kaliska said.

"Mind if we keep to the same sleeping arrangements we have been, love?" Neyla said, biting her lip nervously.

Carmelita smiled and nodded. Both still suffered nightmares, but sleeping together helped lessen the pain of them, and prevented the two of them from waking up in fright.

Jing King smiled, and said, "I will pick a room in a moment. I need to think about something for a few moments."

Carmelita nodded, she and Neyla packing up their equipment and personal items, heading out. Once they had left, Jing King turned to Kaliska, who had begun surfing the internet.

"...Neyla and Carmen... They have suffered much..." she said softly.

Kaliska sighed. "...I only sorta know what happened to Neyla. She's one of the few people I worked with more than once. From what little I know about her, she was a secret mole in Interpol for the leader of the Klaww Gang. She said, and these are her words, not mine, she said that she 'betrayed everybody around her, including her mentor, and got a taste of hell for it.' All I know about it is that it had to do with the Clockwerk frame, how she got her scars, why her hair and eyes are messed up, and why she's too terrified to even say the bird's name." She turned to Jing King, saying, "You saw her flinch when you said Clockwerk's name, right?"

Jing King nodded. She could understand fearing the bird. Clockwerk had come to her father's residence one time to pick Panda King up for a mission. Jing King had never been more terrified in her life, looking into that monstrous face...

Kaliska sighed. "Apparently she was in an asylum for a while after the Klaww Gang's destruction. Those pills Neyla takes are a powerful anti-psychotic that blocks hallucinations."

Jing King's eyes widened. "By the gods..."

Kaliska nodded, rubbing her temples. "As for Carmen... I know zilch about her. The real her, anyway, I watched all the old shows about her when I was younger. Only thing I know for sure about her is that she was out of play for years, and that she and Neyla have the worst kinda nightmares. That's why they sleep together. Some psychosomatic thing that helps lessen the effect of them, or something like that."

"Mystery upon mystery... Neyla's fears and guilt and Carmen Sandiego's past..." Jing King said, her voice wondering. She turned to Kaliska and asked, "What of you? Why are you with these two?"

Kaliska paused, and leaned back in her chair. "...Honestly? When I first met Carmen, I wasn't sure about her. But after the Faulkun job, I started to see that..." She bit her lip, hesitating. "...It's really hard to put this into words. I've only done petty crimes up til now. Data theft, information retrieval, things like that. Worst I've done was a bank job that nearly got me shot by the guards, which put me off on field work for a while. But Carmen... She has this aura about her. An aura of greatness. I was... drawn to it. By working with her, I have the strangest feeling that it will lead to great things."

Jing King smiled. "I felt that as well... My father taught me, that when you cross fists with someone, you can get a good sense of who they are. When I fought with Carmen and Neyla on the roof, I could tell that Carmen had a strength about her."

Kaliska chuckled softly. "Special warrior senses? Well, maybe. My grandfather is the shaman of the tribe I used to belong to. Boy was he pissed when I left..."

Jing King rolled her eyes. "At least he doesn't carry a cannon on his back and throw fire. I dread the day I encounter my father again," she said. She looked out the window, a sad expression coming to her face. "...It is my hope that if I can prove myself, that if I bring honor to the family with victory after victory... that I can truly be worthy of my family name... and his love."

Kaliska scowled, gripping Jing King's arm tightly, surprising her. "Don't think like that. Don't EVER think like that. What you did in leaving him... it was the right thing. Don't EVER let your family cage you like that. Earn your honor, earn your respect. If he does respect you, fine, great, icing on the cake, but if he doesn't then FUCK HIM."

Jing King stared at Kaliska in surprise. She looked down at the hand holding her arm, and gave her a cold stare. Kaliska felt her courage break, and she let go. She huffed, and said, "My entire life was planned out for me in the tribe. My mother, my father, and especially my grandfather, none of them respected my own talents, they just wanted me to take on their own. They hated the fact that I was good with computers, hated that I just wasn't interested in any of the old traditions. When I finally saved up to get a laptop of my own, my grandfather smashed it to pieces in front of me, deriding me for my skill in electronics, humiliating me in front of EVERYONE. All my hard work, for nothing, because some bitter old geezer won't change his ways and doesn't want anyone else to either. That's when I decided to run away... I encountered the old man on the way out, and told him off before leaving." A bitter smile came to her face. "The angry look on that old mystic's face was one of the most satisfying moments of my life."

Jing King stared at Kaliska for a moment, and smiled sadly. "It seems you are not without grief either..."

Kaliska flinced. "I don't even know why I brought it up... I haven't told anyone about my past..."

Jing King sighed, staring out the window again. "Perhaps there is a kinship between us. We both have fled our families, albeit for different reasons."

"Maybe," Kaliska admitted. "Look, Jing King... Do me a favor and don't mention this to Carmen and Neyla, okay? It's... sort of a personal thing..."

Jing King smiled and gently squeezed Kaliska's shoulder. "I understand, my friend. I will keep your secret."

Kaliska smiled gratefully, and turned back to her computer, Jing King heading out for another room. Eventually, the four women fell asleep, dreaming fitful dreams.

They woke up the next day, meeting in Kaliska's room again. They ordered breakfast from room service, Jing King expressing surprise that they were able to get some lavish comforts from the manager they were blackmailing.

Kaliska snickered. "Considering what we have on him, he's more than willing to cooperate."

Jing King blinked. "...What exactly do you have on him?"

Neyla smirked. "Later. Just know that some people are pathetically easy to manipulate," she said, trading high fives with Carmelita. "Took Carmen and I five minutes to get him to crack."

Jing King shook her head, marveling at the three of them, and went back to her food. As they ate, they strategized about their next move.

"I'm not happy about it," Kaliska said, her bitter expression mirroring her words, "but I think I'm gonna have to try my infiltration first at the electronics firm that acts as his front company, so we can collect data for Neyla to try and trick Pankrati into leaving. I won't want to risk hacking the Sirius network again for the car, so I'm gonna have to get a bug in there along with the other places I want to try putting them."

"Where were you planning on placing them?" Carmelita asked.

"On his car, a tap into his phone line, a Trojan virus in his computer network, several places in his office, and one in his suit, so we can try to get his home bugged as well. I've been working on designs for my bugs, making them capable of blending in with the environment without the disguise muffling the sound they get," Kaliska said. "I've also been working on a new delivery system for my autoturrets so I don't have to have them take up space in my pack, but that's a project I've been working on for a while now."

Neyla blinked. "All right..."

Kaliska waved her hand dismissively. "Just letting you know in case you see me working on something that seems unrelated to the mission."

Neyla just shrugged, and kept eating.

Carmelita tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We should probably interrogate some of Khan's employees, or at the very least spy on them. As much of a jerk as he is, we're bound to find some malcontents. We can infiltrate at various points of our own, to try and get information more easily and in case something goes wrong."

"Plus," Neyla said, "They might be another line to his drug warehouses. We have the Firefly here blow them up, that's another way to get Pankrati to lose confidence in him."

Carmelita nodded. "We move in this afternoon."

The four of them finished up, and later in the day headed for the building where Tsao Khan worked. After hacking into the cameras to freeze the images, Kaliska and Carmelita tracked down Tsao Khan's limo and put some bugged tracking devices in it, attaching it underneath the driver's seat and passenger seat. Escaping before the guards came to investigate the freeze, they met up outside the building with Jing King and Neyla.

"The car's bugged," Kaliska said. "That leaves the office."

"Everyone know what their 'new job' is?" Carmelita said. After affirmative nods from the other three, Carmelita nodded as well. "Let's go. Keep your comms on, but maintain radio silence unless absolutely necessary."

They separated, each one finding a private place to put on a disguise, and headed into the building. Kaliska, after putting on her secretary disguise in one of the upper floor bathrooms, shivered softly, tightly clutching the notebook she was holding.

"Okay... Okay, you can do this... You've done fieldwork before... Of course, it wasn't against a drug lord who knows martial arts and magic and an ex-Spetsnaz soldier who could kill you in seventy-two different ways before you even know you're dead..." Kaliska said, and immediately regretted it. She splashed water on her face, and forced herself to be as calm as possible.

It didn't work. Not completely. She was still terrified. But now, at least felt she could actually leave the bathroom she was in. Composing herself as best she could, she stepped out into the office, briefly practicing her Chinese in her head. She tried to keep as low-key as possible, heading for Khan's office. She kept her head low, the picture of a submissive office worker. She also kept her ears open, listening for anything that might be interesting.

She found something quickly.

"I really wish that Mister Tsao would explain to me this project he's got me working on," said a worker.

_Hello hello... _Kaliska thought, discreetly going over to the water cooler where the worker was talking with his friend.

"I mean," the worker continued, "he won't even share with me the full details. He just sends me e-mails from his private computer and tells me to work on the files in the attachments."

"Look at it this way, Kensei," said his companion, "At least the project you're working on gives you Administration privileges to the network."

"True..." Kensei said, "I've been able to download those improvements to all the programs on the network, so that's something. I just wish I knew what I was working on..."

_Perfect, _she thought, _Saves me the risk of having to enter it on Khan's computer. _

Kaliska discreetly went over to the water cooler, getting herself a drink. She listened in a bit longer, studying Kensei's nametag, which showed his cubicle number. Moving quickly, she went to his cubicle and sat down, finding, to her pleasure, that worker hadn't logged out. _Saves me the trouble of hacking, _she thought. She pulled out a flash drive, placing it in his computer and uploading the Trojan virus she had created into the company network, the virus masking itself as a harmless Windows update.

Quickly, she left the cubicle before Kensei came back to his computer. She discreetly made her way around the office, looking for a directory so she could find Tsao's office. She got her answer from another angle, when Pankrati came out of the elevator, looking irritated.

"Pankrati's here," she whispered, trying to look inconspicuous.

"Damn," Carmelita said, "Hide as best you can, this guy's too good at noticing things. Coyotes aren't native to China."

Kaliska nodded, and quickly ducked into a nearby empty office, Pankrati storming past her without noticing. There was a tense moment when he stopped, looking around curiously. But it passed when he shook his head, and left the room. Kaliska sighed in relief, and contacted the others again. "I think Khan's got an office on the top floor. I can get up to it, but in case he's still there, I need someone to get him OUT of there..."

Neyla was the one who called back. "I'm near the office switchboard. I can fake a call to his office," she said.

"Do it," Carmelita said. "We need to bug his office. Also, Jing, be ready in case we need a distraction."

"I am prepared," Jing replied from her hiding place in the lobby.

Neyla nodded, and discreetly made her way into the switchboard. The operator was clearly bored, and slowly falling asleep.

Ten seconds in Neyla's headlock helped him fall completely asleep.

She quickly pushed him aside and placed a call into Tsao Khan's office.

"What is it?" Tsao Khan said, sounding annoyed.

In flawless Chinese, Neyla said, "Delivery for you, Mr. Tsao."

Khan growled. "Then sign for it and leave me be, I have other things to do!"

"They won't accept any signature but your own," Neyla said, pressing the issue, "They won't explain what the delivery is, they just want you to sign it."

Khan seemed to hesitate. "...Can't be... It's way too early for that..."

"Sir?" Neyla asked.

"Never mind," Khan growled, "Tell them to take it around to the loading bay and wait for me."

"Yes sir," Neyla said. She contacted Kaliska, informing her of the distraction.

"Excellent," she said, grabbing some important-looking papers in case she needed an excuse for being up there, "I just need a few minutes to set up the bugs in his office." She went to the elevator, waiting it to pass by once, and took it back upstairs to Tsao's top floor office. Quickly, she went up to the door and checked it, finding it unlocked. She was a little surprised that there was no secretary or security guard, but she just chalked it up to the man's arrogance. She entered, and couldn't resist snickering a little.

The whole office was a monument to the man's ego. A large window was behind his desk, giving him an excellent view of the city, allowing him to survey what he more likely as not felt was 'his domain.' There were pictures, paintings of himself, his brother, and most likely ancestors of the Tsao family adorning the office, as well as several bladed weapons.

Staring at the weapons killed Kaliska's amusement, as the coyote suddenly remembered that Khan was very capable of wielding them. Quickly, she moved around his office, planting her self-designed bugs, splicing a wiretap onto his phone, making sure his entire office was wired. She went over to his coat rack, and replaced a lapel pin on his suit coat with a similar-looking bug, so she could have input into his home.

As she was finishing up, she heard Carmen's frantic voice over the radio. "Kaliska, get out of there! He never came down to the parking lot. Khan's heading for your position!"

_Oh god oh geez oh CRAP, _Kaliska thought, looking around frantically. She started looking around for a place to hide, but the whole room was too open. She had to risk the elevator. As she got on, though, Tsao Khan was there waiting for her.

_HOW SOON DID HE STOP! _Kaliska thought frantically, grinning weakly and bowing.

Khan didn't notice her at first. "It COULDN'T have been them... It's still far too early for the shipment..." he said, frowning. Then he noticed Kaliska, standing in the center of his office. He glowered. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Kaliska gulped, bowing again, and said "Forgive me. I am Lin Diao Yen, Mr. Tsao, a recent hire. I have come to deliver this reports to you."

Khan quirked an eyebrow, looking at the reports. They were a set he needed, so there was no need to be suspicious about that. Still... "You have a strong accent..." he said, "Are you from around here?"

"Yes and no," Kaliska said, "My father is a Chinese, but married an American woman, from one of the Native tribes. I received my education in the United States, and have come seeking work in my father's land."

Khan hmmed thoughtfully. Ironically, for all his other bigotry, he didn't mind having foreign workers. He believed his family and his homeland superior to all others, so naturally serving him is something an American should do. "Very well," he said after a moment, "I was planning on taking a break anyway. Will you accompany me down to the commissary?"

Kaliska nodded. She heard Carmelita telling Neyla over the comm to get ready for emergency extraction, Neyla climbing up the elevator shaft as fast as she could. Kaliska's heart was pounding in her chest as she got into the elevator with Khan. The two went down in silence, Kaliska careful not to look into Tsao Khan's eyes. Which was a mistake, as she would have seen much sooner the appraising looks Khan was giving her. She would have seen the slow, sinister smile forming on his face.

Khan reached out and flipped the emergency stop switch, the elevator coming to a halt with a jolt, startling Kaliska. He looked at Khan nervously, clutching the clipboard she was carrying to her chest. "...S-Sir? Is anything wrong?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"You know..." Khan said conversationally, "I think my associate may be right... I do need to diversify a bit more... Notice people a bit more... I questioned my brother's choice of bride before... The King girl was quite plump and pudgy at the time, like her father, while I myself prefer slender women..." Khan looked at Kaliska's ass, the coyote whimpering slightly and slowly backing away. He smirked, and continued, "...but I think I should start to branch my tastes out. I couldn't help but notice that lovely posterior of yours, my dear... And I can't wait to experience it... Among other things, heheheh..."

Khan gently traced a feathery finger down her cheek before lewdly groping her breast. Kaliska, paling in fright, tried to shoulder him away, but he just roughly shoved her against the wall, putting his cruel, grinning face right in hers. _What is he... _she thought as his hand started to drop down further, towards the edge of her dress skirt, _...No... Oh GOD NO!_

Kaliska's heart was racing with fright. She tried to struggle away from him, tried to get to the brake, but Tsao Khan's grip was far too strong. "No no, my dear... Not until we've had my fun..." he said. Kaliska whimpered, her normally quick, coherent mind muddled with sheer terror.

"Carmen," Neyla said as she made her way up the elevator shaft, "I'm too far away!"

Carmelita cursed. "Jing. DISTRACTION."

A few seconds later, the entire building shook, hard enough to jostle Khan, Carmelita, and Neyla.

"...I said DISTRACTION not DESTRUCTION," Carmelita snapped into her comm.

"Bloody hell, love," Neyla laughed nervously, continuing her climb once she got her balance back.

"What the hell is going on down there!" Khan screamed into the elevator's communicator. Kaliska stayed frozen to the wall, unable to get herself to move, too afraid of the figure on the other side of the car.

"S-Sir," the security officer said, "It's Firefly! She's in the lobby... she's smashing up everything with her firework bombs!"

Khan's eyes widened... and a grin came to his face. "So... my brother's bride comes to pay her respects..." he said. He turned to Kaliska and gently cupped her chin. "Another time, my dear. More interesting prey has arrived."

He started up the elevator again. A few floors down, he stopped it and exited, deciding to take the stairs instead. Once he was gone, Kaliska collapsed in the car, sobbing in fright. Neyla broke in through the top of the car moments later. She hugged the sobbing young woman tightly, and said, "I'm so sorry, love... We didn't think he'd figure out the ruse that soon... You shouldn't have been put through that..."

Kaliska shook her head, sniffling and sobbing. "No, no, I'm all right, just... just get me out of here..."

Neyla nodded, and helped her out of the elevator the same way she came in. They made their way to a lower floor, the young coyote clinging to Neyla as she shivered in fear.

Carmen contacted her over the binocucom. "Kaliska, you gonna be okay?"

Kaliska shivered. "Eventually. But not now... He was this close to..." she moaned softly and shivered again.

"Can you continue?" Carmelita asked, cursing herself for letting Kaliska being put at so much risk.

Kaliska thought for a moment, and shook her head. "...I can't go near him now... Not yet, not until the very end, when we're on the verge of beating him. Before that..." She shivered softly, remembering his touch, how unclean she felt from it... "Before that, if I try to go into the field where he is, I'd just be a liability. I got the bugs in place, I can monitor from the hotel."

Carmelita sighed, closing her eyes. "Kaliska... I'm sorry that happened. I'm just glad he didn't get a chance to finish what he started."

Kaliska shook her head. "I knew the risks going in, don't worry. I just..." she paused, giggling nervously, "I just never thought the risks would come to bite me in the ass that quickly..."

Carmelita hesitated, and said, "...Risks like this, some maybe even worse, will quite possibly come up in the future if you continue on this path. If you wish to back out now, then I will not think any less of you."

Kaliska's eyes widened. Neyla was surprised as well, but she understood. She knew full well what throwing yourself into the mouth of hell could do to you...

Kaliska, for her part, was stunned. The idea that something WORSE than what she experienced was unsettling...

...but every time she considered retiring early, the cold, cruel face of her grandfather would appear before her, a smirk of satisfaction on his face at the idea of her failing. She scowled. "Like I said, I knew the risks. I back down now, everything I've done since leaving home will be for nothing."

Carmelita smiled gently. She was still worried, but for some reason, she felt relieved as well. "Fair enough," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Neyla, escort her back to the hotel. I'm gonna go collect Jing before she knocks the damn building down."

Neyla nodded. "On it," she said, breaking the connection. She patted Kaliska on the shoulder, and said, "Brave thing, love, to continue after what Khan almost did."

Kaliska shook her head. "I've got my reasons..."

Neyla chuckled softly. "Don't we all... C'mon, let's go back to the hotel."

The two of them took the stairs down to the lobby, catching a cab back to the hotel. As they left, the couldn't help but notice and be amused by the destructive results of Jing's 'distraction.'

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_Meanwhile..._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"COME OUT, Tsao Khan!" Jing King bellowed, throwing a fireball at a security guard, who scrambled out of the way and joined the others in hiding from her. Jing King laughed wildly, battlelust flowing through her body. The lobby itself bore the results of her... rather dramatic entrance. Several benches and desks were destroyed, there were craters in the wall, and several guards lay unconscious, blasted by her fireworks. Jing King sneered, and opened a pack on her suspenders, pulling out another rocket. "COME OUT! Come out and face Firefly!"

The sound of slow, amused clapping caused Jing to whirl, the fireworks specialist spying Tsao Khan coming down a nearby staircase, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Well done, well done," he said, grinning cruelly, "An entrance worthy of my brother's wife."

"The Firefly does not belong to your brother, Tsao Khan! She has come to defeat you, as the Cooper Gang defeated Tsao Wren!" Jing King snarled.

Tsao Khan grinned viciously. "You misunderstand, child. Once a Tsao decides you belong to them, then you belong to them. You are my brother's bride. The ceremony was merely Wren's desire to show off."

"Your brother was a scoundrel and a wretch. To fully regain the honor of the family King, then this Firefly must best you in combat," she said, crossing her arms in front of her face. "And defeat you she shall. Palms of Thunder!"

Jing King slammed her hands on the ground, sending twin chi shockwaves spiralling along the floor towards Tsao Khan, who gracefully flipped over them. His attempt the block the rocket that Jing King fired from her launcher on the back, however, was not as graceful. Still, to Jing's dismay, he was able to deflect it with a wing strike.

Tsao Khan landed in a full crouch, smirking confidently. "Interesting. But a Tsao will always stand tall over a woman."

"Things change, Tsao," Jing said.

"Really," he said, grinning viciously. "You think you've changed so much, Jing. All I can see, however, is the meek little girl that caught my brother's attention. You remember her, don't you, Jing King?"

"A bird in a guilded cage. She has freed herself from that to become a Firefly. And she now stands before you, ready to put you in your place," Jing said, taking a Dragon-style stance

Tsao Khan, at the mention of putting him in his place, sputtered for a moment and began laughing. "Ohoho! That is rich! A mere WOMAN putting a member of the Tsao clan in his place." He gave Jing a cruel look, looking her up and down with such an expression of perversity that Jing and every other woman in the lobby felt dirty just from witnessing it.

"No, my dear," Khan continued, "I think you need to be reminded of YOUR place." He held up his hand, revealing a spiritual 'eye' of sorts on it. To Jing's surprise, everyone in the lobby began panicking, begging Khan not to use this technique. Before any of them could escape, however, Tsao Khan slammed his hand down, screaming, "CRYSTAL NIGHTMARE!"

A wave of crystalline energy spread out from where Khan's hand made impact with the ground. As it engulfed the lobby completely, Jing reflexively bringing up her arms to block as the wave washed over her. When she lowered her arms, however, she found herself in another place entirely.

A familiar one.

She was at her home in China, standing near the pond just outside her father's house. To her horror, it was a date she remembered as well, in exacting detail. She looked down at her reflection in the pool, seeing that she was as fat as she was then, clad in the same robe she wore then, and her hair in the same hairstyle. She couldn't remember how to make fireworks, or how to do martial arts, something about the technique forcing her mind and body to the way it was during that day...

Jing looked around, fearful, knowing what was coming. And then she saw them.

Tiger bandits. And leading them, an all-too-familiar rooster wearing frighteningly familiar armor.

Tsao Wren. General Tsao.

"Ah, there you are," General Tsao said, grinning lasciviously. Truly, the daughter of the Panda King is even more beautiful than I imagined."

Jing tried to lash out, tried to fight back. But her body wouldn't obey her. "Who... I-I bid you welcome to our home, kind sir. Do you have business with my father?" she heard herself say.

_NO NO NO! _she shrieked inside her mind, knowing what was coming.

"Indeed I do," General Tsao said, polite and friendly, "Where is he?"

Jing felt herself gesture towards the temple, where her father meditated. "I shall take you to him," she heard herself say.

General Tsao shook his head. "No no," he said, "That will not be necessary. Please wait here with my guards while I go talk with him."

Jing tried to fight, tried to resist, but the memory refused to let itself play out in any other way. She sat down with the bandits, who stared after their master. General Tsao walked calmly up to the tower where Panda King meditated, and leaped up to speak with him. As Jing watched, remembering everything about this horrible day, Panda King jumped up, angry, his fists blazing, and tried to attack, but General Tsao was able to match him blow for blow. As Jing stood up, horrified at what she was seeing, General Tsao grabbed her father's face and shouted "CRYSTAL NIGHTMARE!"

Jing realized, to her horror, that this was the same technique Tsao Khan had used on her. As she watched, a crystalline energy wave washed over her father's body, her father convulsing and going into a one-legged praying stance. Jing called out to her father, but the bandits suddenly grabbed her by her arms. General Tsao, chuckling, leaped down from the tower, dusting his hands off as well as some loose feathers.

"What... What have you done to my father?" Jing heard herself say.

General Tsao grinned, roughly cupping her chin. "Given him time to think on his past failures that took his glory from him. And as for you, my dear, you are coming with me."

"W-What? Why?" Jing said, feeling the old terror crawling through her body, an old sickness she thought she had long since abandoned.

General Tsao laughed. "Because you are to be my bride!"

Jing felt herself shaking her head fiercely. "NO! My father would never agree to it!"

"Hence the reason for my 'convincing' him to reflect on his past failures," he said, chuckling. "Now bring her to my temple! The time has come to prepare for my nuptials!"

The guards began to drag her off, gripping her tightly by the arms and legs. General Tsao's mocking laughter followed her as they left her home. "Do not fear, Jing King! The children the result of our union shall produce shall be as the gods themselves!"

Jing King screamed, both in her mind and in her voice, desperately trying to get away, terrified beyond belief, past and present blending in her fear as she begged for her father to wake up, to please, wake up! As tears blurred her vision, the world seemed to melt around her.

And it all began again.

She found herself standing in front of the pond again, with General Tsao's people heading towards her again. Jing weeped inside her mind, unable to stop herself from reliving her worst moment over and over again...

And in her despair, she heard Tsao Khan's mocking laughter. "Child! You think to put ME in my place? FOOL! No woman shall ever rule a Tsao!"

As General Tsao went up to confront her father, Jing sobbed desperately, unable to stop it.

And then, Tsao Khan screamed, the vision shattering like glass. Jing fell to her knees, sobbing, clutching herself tightly as she tried to recover from the mental attack. She looked up, tears in her eyes, to see what had happened... and managed to grin.

Tsao Khan was screaming, Carmelita having driven her cane's tazer right into his kidneys. As she watched, Tsao Khan collapsed to his knees, electricity arcing lightly over his feathers. Other employees watched in mixed horror and fascination as Carmelita stood over him, twirling her cane and leaning on it casually as she moved around to Khan's front.

He glared up at her. She just smirked at him, and said, "If no woman will rule a Tsao, then why are you on your knees before me?"

Tsao Khan's glare would have shattered diamonds. "Who are you, bitch? Tell me the name of the one whom is destined to fall to me."

Carmelita smirked. "Believe what you want. But Carmen Sandiego isn't someone you can beat."

Khan snarled, and tried to say something else, but Carmelita kicked him in the beak, sending him to the floor again. The other employees, too afraid of Khan to oppose him even in a moment of weakness, went to help him up as Carmelita went over to Jing.

She helped her up and dusted her off, a concerned look on her face. "You gonna be okay, Jing?"

Jing nodded. "Eventually. I was... careless. Let's get out of here."

Carmelita nodded, ignoring Tsao Khan's screaming as she and Jing left the building, commandeering a cab and abandoning it just outside a warehouse a block away from the hotel. They casually headed back up the elevators to the penthouse floor, where they found Neyla comforting Kaliska, who had her face in her hands.

"She gonna be all right?" Carmelita asked.

Neyla frowned, and nodded. "For the moment, I believe," she said. She hesitated a moment, and added. "Carmen, she couldn't get in the elevator. After three floors, she had a panic attack and we had to take the stairs the rest of the way."

Carmelita's eyes widened. "Claustrophobia?"

Kaliska nodded. "I just... when I got in there, I just started flashing back to what Tsao almost did to me... It became hard to breath, I just..." She shook her head. "I'll work around it if I have to. I won't be a liability to the team, Carmen."

Carmelita frowned, but shook her head. "Don't worry about it. We'll deal with it," she said. "I wanted you for this team, and since you've decided to stay I'm not about to abandon you now that I have you. What I am gonna do is make damn sure that you or anyone else that works with me is never put into that situation again."

Kaliska turned towards Carmelita slightly, a warm feeling she couldn't place building inside her at the fox's comment. Neyla smiled, but winced a little, remembering the loyalty Carmelita had shown her back in her old life before she betrayed her. Jing grinned a little, glad at least that Carmelita was a leader who was willing to protect her troops.

"At any rate," Carmelita said, taking off her hat and rubbing the bridge of her nose, "We've shaken him up. We'll hang back for a few days, see what we can learn from the bugs."

Kaliska nodded, wiping her eyes, and opened her laptop. "I managed to set up all the bugs we needed before that mess in the elevator. Plus, I have that virus in the system that should allow me access to his records."

"What's the risk of discovery?" Carmelita asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Minimal," Kaliska said, feeling a bit more confident now that she was back in familiar territory. "I got into the CIA database with this little beauty. And Tsao Khan doesn't strike me as the type to be that careful with his computer security."

Carmelita nodded. "We're looking for money transfers, direct references to Spice, labs, storage facilities, anything that might lead us to his drug shipments."

Kaliska nodded. "I can manage that," she said, "We'll have full access soon enough."

Carmelita nodded. "Despite some problems and near misses, we've managed to get all our ears in. We did decent, ladies, but we can do better. For our next move, I'll make sure there's little to no chance anyone gets hurt."

Kaliska shook her head. "You didn't know that Khan would get back in the elevator, and Jing and Neyla got me out of there quickly."

Carmelita shook her head. "Not good enough. You and Jing both got hurt by that bastard, so it wasn't good enough," she said, storming out of the room, a startled Jing and Kaliska staring after her.

Neyla frowned, biting her lip. "...Let's get some sleep," she said. "It's been a long day, and we'll have a lot to do tomorrow." She left the room, going into the room she shared with Carmelita. Carmelita had stripped her coat and shirt off and was leaning on a wall, breathing heavily, frustration visible on her face.

"Some mastermind I'm turning out to be," Carmelita snarled, "I let one of my own get hurt..."

Neyla shook her head. "You can't plan for everything, Carmelita. We all knew the risks when we got into this life. It's unfortunate what happened to Kaliska, but we stopped Khan before he had his way with her and she's willing to continue."

Carmelita shook her head, sitting down on the bed. "It doesn't matter. A good leader shouldn't let her people get hurt."

Neyla just stared at Carmelita, several things the fox said to her before her betrayal during the KLAWW Gang affair starting to make sense. Neyla sat down next to Carmelita, and said, "...I honestly don't know what to tell you, love. This gang is the first one I've been completely loyal to. All I can say is that you have to trust that we know what we're getting into. We all got away alive and relatively unscathed, and we got the job done. That's a win, love."

Carmelita sighed. "I guess..."

Neyla sighed as well, hugging Carmelita before taking one of her anti-psychotic meds. "C'mon. Let's get some rest. We'll figure things out in the morning."

Carmelita frowned, and nodded. This had been too long a day...

Meanwhile, back in Kaliska's room, Jing stared after Carmelita and Neyla, a worried look on her face.

"There is much pain in Carmen's heart..." Jing said softly.

Kaliska frowned. "She's been out of the game for a while. Plus, if the stories were true, she's fiercely loyal to those that are loyal to her. You think what happened to us is making her feel rusty?"

"...Somewhat," Jing admitted after a moment. "It is... hard to tell. I am not as skilled at reading people's hearts as my father. Even with my limited ability, though, Carmen's heart is... muddled. The strongest things I sense are fear and confusion..."

Kaliska sighed, shaking her head. "I wish I could help you on that point, but I've never been good at the mystical stuff."

Jing sighed, sitting down on the second bed. "Hmm... Perhaps we should rest," she said.

"In a bit," Kaliska said, "I want to see if anything comes up."

Jing nodded, and lay down, setting her equipment by the bed. Kaliska gave her a wary look. "Sleeping in here tonight?"

Jing nodded. "I was forced to relive the worst memory of my life in an endless loop. You were nearly violated by a twisted, evil man who's very existence is disgusting. Perhaps it would be better if no one was alone tonight?"

Kaliska sighed, and smiled. "I... appreciate it. I'm not gonna go to bed yet, though..."

Jing nodded, closing her eyes and meditating, eventually drifting off the sleep. Kalsika, meanwhile, busily typed away at her computer.

"Next time..." she muttered, "Next time you see me... You'll regret everything you've done to me..."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


End file.
